Nilo Ledama, Bliss Bayking score ‘double’ at PPS Maasin

MANILA, Philippines — Top seed Nilo Ledama and unranked Bliss Bayking knocked down two victories each in their respective sides to clinch the MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP Maasin regional age-group tennis tournament at the Capitol Tennis Courts in Leyte recently.

Ledama, from Pagadian City, thwarted Sai Lago, 6-4, 6-4, in the boys’ 16-and-under finals then routed Tyrone Ybañez, 6-0, 6-0, to claim the 18-U diadem in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and presented by Dunlop.

Bayking, one of the rising stars from San Carlos City, matched that two-title feat in her side of the finals, crushing top seed Pherl Coderos, 6-1, 6-1, in the 16-U championship then repulsing No. 2 Elizabeth Abarquez, 6-4, 6-3, for the 18-U crown.

Other winners in the ranking event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg were Corazon Lambonao and Lago in the 14-U division, local bets Elna Beronio and Ruzzel Manlimos in the 12-U play and Christian Estrada in the 10-unisex section.

Lambonao, from Ormoc City, lived up to her top billing and whipped Mae Macasuot while Lago, from Sogod, Leyte, bounced back from his loss to Ledama with a 6-1, 6-2 romp over Nicholas Ocat; No. 3 Beronio upset top seed Riza Coderos, 6-0, 6-1, while Manlimos overpowered the young Estrada, 6-3, 6-1.