Parpan obliterates Orendain, advances to First Gen semis

MANILA, Philippines - Unranked Kyle Parpan carved out a shock 6-4, 6-3 victory over second seed Betto Orendain to barge into the semifinal round of the boys’ 18-and-under class while fancied Roxanne Resma and Khim Iglupas breezed through in the ladies side of the First Gen-Juntaphil Metro Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Parpan broke Orendain once in the opening set then kept pounding his rival in the second to complete a straight-set romp. He booked a Final Four duel with Bryan Otico, who also booted out No. 4 Marcen Gonzales, 6-1, 6-4, in the Last 16 before easing out No. 7 Vernon Huibonhua, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarters.

Top seed Jed Olivarez survived Vincent Alanis, 7-5, 4-6 (10-4), to seal a semis clash with No. 3 Argil Canizares, who beat Leroy Bering, 7-5, 6-1, in the sixth staging of the annual event presented by First Gen and organized by the Junior Tennis Association of the Philippines.

Resma, meanwhile, romped off with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Denise Jimenez to arrange a semis showdown with Jana Hernandez, who subdued No. 4 Isabella Mendoza, 2-6, 6-3 (10-8) in the premier girls division of the tournament sponsored by Smart Communications, Technifibre Balls, Accel, RCBC and Pet One.

Iglupas trounced Nicole Paez, 6-3, 6-2, to advance against Barcelona Cup winner Nicole Amistad, who turned back Jana Pages, 4-6, 6-4 (10-8), in the lower bracket.

Resma also stayed on course for a double victory as she made the semis of the U-16 with a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Bettina Bautista. She will next face Pages, who outplayed Jimenez, 6-3, 6-0.

Frances Santiago shocked Iglupas, 6-1, 6-2, to clinch the other semis berth.