Maasin hosts Palawan age-group tennis tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Baybay leg champions Anica Cari, Master Yan and Joshua Torres hope to bring their winning act to Maasin, Leyte which takes its turn to host the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tournament presented by Technifibre beginning tomorrow at the Maasin City Lawn Tennis Club.

Cari, Yan and Torres came away with two victories each in the last leg of the year-long, nationwide circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop with the troika bracing for a tough outing from the local bets all primed-up for the big challenge in the four-day event.

“We are inviting all tennis players, fans and aficionados to join this event also held in conjunction with our program ‘Healthy, Sports and Smoke-free Maasin City’,” said Mayor Maloney Samaco.

This marks the first time the Southern Leyte capital city will be hosting a Palawan Pawnshop tennis circuit leg and Samaco and the rest are guaranteeing a successful staging of the event in terms of participation and organization to the overall conduct of the tournament.

“This is a rare opportunity for us to showcase our organizational skills and at the same time help revive our youth’s interest in sports, especially in tennis, ” said Samaco, adding that Maasin has not produced a tennis champion since Ringo Navarrosa won the Philippine Open in 1988.

The organizers and the host club said free registration is ongoing. Events on tap are the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under categories and the 10-unisex section. For details, contact the Palawan Pawnshop secretariat at 0915-4046464.

“The huge turnouts in all our legs continue to inspire us to support and hold this series of ranking tournaments, especially in the countryside. With the Palawan Pawnshop circuit, we are confident of producing top-notch players in the future,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Others expected to vie in the 32nd leg of this year’s Palawan Pawnshop circuit are Ghylem Basalo, Ma. Delrose Duran, Joy Camille Sanico, Bea Pelias, Aeron Carungay, Paulo Loreto, Chyme Arradaza, Aaron Suaron and Samjosh Ramos.