Arcilla wards off Anasta, seals Olivarez Cup 3-peat

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran Johnny Arcilla recovered his bearing and rhythm in time and dominated Vicente Anasta late in the match, fashioning out a 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-0, victory to complete a three-peat in the fifth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat last Sunday.

The second-seeded Arcilla shrugged off an opening frame loss and pulled through in a tight second-set duel before imposing his will and strength in the last two to frustrate the fourth-ranked Anasta in a grueling three-hour and 15-minute encounter and clinch the men’s Open singles crown for the third straight year.

Arcilla, who pounced on a cramps-stricken Patrick John Tierro to retain the crown last year, took home P40,000.

Khim Iglupas repulsed Edilyn Balanga, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4, to annex the ladies Open singles diadem in the annual event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala and sanctioned by Philta with Technifibre as the official ball. The 16-year-old Iligan City native and mainstay of the Philippine Tennis Academy-Manila pocketed P20,000.

Philippine Tennis Association president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez was on hand during the awards rites graced by the other top finishers in the various age-group categories of the two-week long event also held in honor of Dr. Pablo Olivarez, one of the founding fathers of Philippines tennis, on his 80th birthday.