Patrimonio foils Cruz, reaches Olivarez Cup semis

MANILA, Philippines - Clarice Patrimonio fought back from a second set setback and imposed her will against Monica Therese Cruz in the decider, essaying a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory to clinch the first Final Four berth in the fifth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat yesterday.

The top seeded Patrimonio bounced back strong after absorbing her first-ever set loss following a pair of romps into the quarters, breaking Cruz twice in the third frame with a series of winners to seal a semis duel with Khim Iglupas.

The third-ranked Iglupas sustained her fiery form and eased out No. 7 Marinel Rudas, 6-2, 6-1, for her third straight-set victory in the ladies Open singles of the tournament presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala headed by COO Bobby Castro, also the president PPS-PEPS.

Second seed Edilyn Balanga and No. 4 Maia Balce were still playing at presstime with the former colliding with Clarice sister Christine and the latter taking on Samanthan Coyiuto, who shocked fifth seed Hannah Espinosa, 6-4, 6-1, in the Last 16 phase of the tournament held in honor of one of the founding fathers of Philippine tennis Dr. Pablo Olivarez on his 80th birthday.

Top seed PJ Tierro and No. 2 Johnny Arcilla, meanwhile, stayed on title collision course in the men’s Open singles with the former thumping No. 10 Arcie Mano, 6-1, 6-0, and the latter blanking No. 6 Mark Alcoseba, 6-0, 6-0, to advance to the semis of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with Technifibre as the official ball.

Tierro guns for the first finals seat against No. 4 Vicente Anasta, who held off fifth-ranked Rolando Ruel Jr., 6-2, 7-6(1), while Arcilla will take on the winner between third seed Marc Reyes and No. 7 Roel Capangpangan being played at presstime.

After racking up three emphatic victories, Tierro and Arcilla are in for a tough challenge in the Final Four although the two spearheads of the national team remain the favorites to dispute the championship set Sunday.

The top-seeded Tierro, in a teamup with Joven Ronard, repulsed Radharani Reyes and John Victoria, 3-6, 6-1, 10-5, in the second round of the men’s doubles with No. 2 Anasta and Mark Alcoseba beating Joshua Masangkay and Christopher Moreno, 6-1, 6-3, in the lower half of the draw.