Qualifiers gain in Olivarez Cup Open netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Qualifiers Francisco Santos, Chat Conta, Martin de Castro, Hakeem Cariga and Joshua Kinaadman trampled their respective rivals to advance to the second round of the fifth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat last Sunday.

Santos wore down Emmanuel Fuellas, 7-5, 2-0 (ret.), but will face top seed PJ Tierro, who drew an opening round bye, in the next stage of the full-packed men’s singles field of the annual event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with Technifibre as the official ball.

Conta also pulled off a 2-6, 7-6 (4) (ret.) win over wild card Gee Abacan for a clash with No. 16 RK Barte; De Castro repulsed Kyle Parpan, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5; for a duel with No. 5 Roland Ruel Jr.; Cariga trounced Lawrence Magaway, 6-0, 6-3, for a faceoff with No. 15 Arvin Ruel; and Kinaadman thwarted Cenon Gonzales Jr., 7-5, 6-3, to arrange a second round contest with second seed Johnny Arcilla.

“While the aces are tipped to slug it out for the championship, we expect some surprises in both divisions with a slew of rising players raring to prove their worth,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro, also the president PPS-PEPS.

Wild cards Vande Linde and Romel Openiano likewise hurdled their first round matches with the former booting out age-grouper Jacob Martin, 6-0, 6-2, and the latter holding off Jhun Alcoseba, 7-6(4), 6-4.

Tierro and Arcilla, along with the other seeded players in the blue-ribbon event also held in honor of Dr. Pablo Olivarez, one of the founding fathers of Philippines tennis, on his 80th birthday, are expected to breeze through the second round with the clash of the fancied bets expected to come in the Last 16 and quarterfinal round.

Keen competition is also seen in the Ladies Open singles with top seed Clarice Patrimonio and No. 2 Edilyn Balanga leading the 32-player cast that also includes Khim Iglupas, Maia Balce, Hannah Espinosa, Christine Patrimonio, Marinel Rudas and Monica Therese Cruz and Rafaella Villanueva.

Cruz and Villanueva earlier clinched the two berths for the WTA Future Stars tournament in Singapore in October after reaching the finals of the 14- and 16-and-under sections in last week’s Olivarez Cup age grouper. Cruz went on to cop the two titles.

“Our focus is on our young players and this Open should provide them an opportunity to showcase their talent and skills against the best in the land,” Philta president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said.

The Open caps a two-week long, four-in-one tennis festival that included the age-grouper, the interclub and the inter-college championship.