Angara, Nocos bag Palawan net plums

MANILA, Philippines - Edgardo Angara survived a grueling showdown with local ace Ceasar Salimbangon to capture the boys’ 12-and-under crown while Tiffany Nocos cruised to 10-unisex victory in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group presented by Technifibre at the Consolacion Tennis Club in Laray, Cebu yesterday.

Angara, son of Sen. Sonny and one of NCR’s rising stars, broke Consolacion’s top player once in each set to pound out a 6-4, 6-4 decision in two hours and 20 minutes while Nocos, also from Cebu, dominated Ethan Quino, 4-0, 4-2, as they led the winners in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center.

Ma. Dominique Ong, also from Manila, bucked a scare from Zethley Alferez, 6-3, 7-5, in the semis then hung tough to repulse Shyne Villareal, 6-4, 6-3, to pocket the girls’ 18-U title while La Carlota’s Tracy Llamas trounced Bless Coderos, 6-1, 6-1, and settled for the 14-U crown after a two-title romp in the Lapu-Lapu leg last week.

The Cebuano bets, meanwhile, stamped their class in the rest of the categories with the third-ranked Norman Enriquez from Pardo beating Rey Toledo, 6-1, 6-0, for the boys’ 18-U plum; Carl Zudie Balundo from Consolacion toppled Dale Estanillo, 6-4, 6-2, for the 16-U title; Vhenz Alforque from Naga City, Cebu, upending top seed Sebastien Lhuillier, 6-4, 6-2, in the semis then thwarting Adrian Kinaadman, 6-4, 6-2, for the 14-U diadem.

Naga City, Cebu’s Alferez took the girls’ 16-U title with a 6-3, 6-3 reversal over top seed Villareal; and Lyra Mae Repollo, also from Naga City, rolled past Febbie Abayan, 6-2, 6-3, to clinch the girls’1 2-U plum in the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“The reversals only underscored the level playing field and the Cebuano bets’ victories only showed that there are a lot of talents in the countryside. By providing this series of tournaments nationwide, we hope to provide these young players a venue where they can hone their talent and skills,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Meanwhile, the 10th leg of the 38-stage circuit will be held March 20-23 at the Ouans Resort Tennis Courts in Lucena, Quezon. Registration is ongoing. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director, at 0915-4046464.