Gagalac, Guevarra rule PPS-PEPP Legazpi netfest

MANILA, Philippines – Naga City’s Nolan Gagalac foiled top seed Kurt Molina to snare the boys’ 18-and-under crown then wore down Jennard Gonzales to pocket the 16-U title in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament Legazpi leg at the DPWH-RES Tennis Club in Albay Monday.

Glydel Guevarra, Jan Harold Trillanes, and Nika Alanis, all from Iriga, matched that two-title romp while Patricia Corporal, also from Iriga, pocketed the girls’ 14-U diadem in the four-day, Group 5 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Technifibre.

The second seeded Gagalac broke Molina once in the first set then dominated his rival in the next to fashion out a 6-4, 6-2 win in a big follow-up to his 6-4, 1-0(ret.) victory in the 16-U finals of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“We thank Palawan Pawnshop for bringing this tennis program to Albay for the first time,” said Rep. Al Francis Bichara. “We hope the circuit will further expand and hold tournaments in other parts of Bicol where youth tennis is on an upswing.”

Guevarra also upended top seed Benedict Aguilar, 4-2, 4-0, to bag the 10-unisex plum then scored a walkover win over Zea Arcangel in the girls’ 12-U finals, while Trillanes lived up to his top seeding and trampled JC Gonzales, 6-0, 6-2, to cop the boys’ 12-U title then bounced back from a second set meltdown to defeat Jennard Gonzales, 6-3, 3-6, 10-4, for the 14-U crown.

Alanis, on the other hand, dominated Corporal, 6-0, 6-2, to claim the girls’ 16-U plum then ripped Antonette Miranda, 6-3, 6-2, for the 18-U diadem while Corporal, also from Iriga, took the girls’ 14-U title with a 1-0(ret.) win over Arcangel.

“Tapping new venues is in line with Palawan Pawnshop’s commitment to develop the sport throughout the country and at the same time help in discovering talents,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro. “

Meanwhile, registration for the next leg at Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on Nov. 19-24 is ongoing. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP organizer and sports program development director at 0915-4046464.