Martin, Saraza bag Palawan Pawnshop tennis crowns

MANILA, Philippines - Fourth-ranked Jacob Martin fought back from a set down to topple No. 3 Justin Suarez, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, and capture the boys’ 16-and-under crown while Chloe Mae Saraza racked up two victories in the girls’ side of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala presented by Technifibre at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in QC last Tuesday.

Martin, a 14-year-old playing in the higher age division, broke Suarez once in the second set to force a decider. Then the Xavier School mainstay leaned on his superb baseline game in the decider to complete the come-from-behind victory in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“I really prepared and trained hard for this event knowing a lot of top players are competing. I’m glad I was able to achieve my goal,” said Martin, who swept Gabriel Tiamson, 6-3, 6-2, in the quarters then stopped Harvey Gilbuena, 6-2, 6-4, in the semis.

The third-ranked Saraza, on the other hand, clipped top seed Rafa Villanueva, 6-2, 6-0, to bag the 16-U title then added the 18-U diadem by rallying past Bettina Bautista, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

NCR’s Miles Vitaliano also upended No. 1 Mikaela Vicencio, 6-1, 6-3, to snare the girls’ 14-U crown; top seed Macie Carlos, also from NCR, routed Kryshana Brazal, 6-1, 6-0, to clinch the 12-U plum; while Adeline Abadia shut out Luis Salvacion, 4-0, 4-0, to pocket the 10-unisex title in the event held as part of the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center’s 30th anniversary celebrations.