Estanislao, Balce overcome seeded foes, top Palawan tilt

MANILA, Philippines - Daniel Estanislao III and Manuel Balce III hacked out a pair of thrilling three-setters over their top-seeded rivals to rule their respective divisions while Chloe Mae Saraza stamped her class in the girls side in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis at the Brookside Hills Tennis Club in Cainta, Rizal last Monday.

The fifth-ranked Estanislao, from Baesa Seventh Day Adventist, recovered from a close second set defeat to upend No. 1 Miguel Vicencio, 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3, and snare the boys’ 12-and-under crown. He earlier bundled out second seed Jan Trillanes, 7-5, 6-2, to seal a title clash with Vicencio, who survived Edgardo Angara, 7-5, 6-3.

“Estanislao and Balce’s victories should serve as an inspiration for those who aspire to join the growing list of winners outside of the top-seeded bets. But it takes a lot of hard work and discipline to be able to range against the favorites,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

The second-seeded Balce, playing out of Ateneo, toppled two-leg champion Cenon Gonzales Jr., 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, to bag the 16-U plum in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

Saraza, who swept the 16- and 18-U titles at Valle Verde the other week, kept the twin titles under her belt, beating Bettina Bautista twice via the same scoreline, 6-1, 6-1, while top seed Mikaela Vicencio took the 14-U title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Miles Vitaliano.

No. 3 Julian Dayrit also pulled off a reversal in the boys’ centerpiece event, holding off Jet Asilo, 6-3, 6-4, while top seed Amanda Zoleta bucked Macie Carlos’ gutsy stand in the opening set and completed a 7-6(6), 6-0 victory to clinch the girls’ 12-U plum.

Top seeds Alexander Bulilan and Marc Jarata pocketed the boys’ 14-U and 10-unisex titles with 6-2, 6-2 win and 4-2, 4-0 romp over Estanislao and Von Saraza, respectively. kicking