HK aces vie in Palawan Pawnshop-OTR tennis

MANILA, Philippines - Top junior players from Hong Kong strut their wares in the Palawan Pawnshop-OTR regional age-group tennis tournament beginning today, firming up the cast and guaranteeing a spirited title chase at the Consolacion Tennis Courts in Laray, Cebu.

Siblings Danny and Jose McLaren and Grace Xu, three of the top rated players from On The Rise, a leading tennis academy in Hong Kong, are seeing action in the event sanctioned by Philta and hosted by Consolacion Mayor Teresita Alegado, which also features some of the country’s leading junior players and rising stars.

They include NCR’s Jerome Romualdez, Sebastian Lhuillier and Diego Dayrit, Bacolod’s Fernando Arguelles, Pete Rodriguez and Reynan Mahusay, Dumaguete’s Bernd Haft and Elmer Lagat, Mindanao’s Alfred Directo and Michael Ivan Cari of Leyte.

“This promises to be an interesting tournament, a showdown of the top junior players from Hong Kong and our best from various regions,” said Philta president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

Others vying in the five-day tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Babolat are Puerto Princesa’s Amelie Matta, Philippe Boulas, Joshua Pacini and Ezra Ravacio and local aces Cesar Salimbangon and Kristin Salimbangon along with Jana Pages, Shyne Villareal, Zethley Alferes, Harland Hogan, Francis Lambayan, Jace Christian Unto and Joshua Kinaadman.

“We are very thankful to Philta and Palawan Pawnshop for bringing this tournament here. The municipality of Consolacion is fully supporting this event and we are offering all our sports facilities to all participants,” said Mayor Alegado.

For details, contact Philta referee Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Events on tap in the 19th leg of the circuit are the 10-unisex, and the boys and girls’ 12-U, 14-U, 16-U and 18-U categories.

“We have invited our local players and those from the nearby towns and provinces to join this Group 2 tournament for ranking points and exposure. We hope to host more of this in the region,” said Philta regional vice president Ken Salimbangon.