Olivarez battles Arcilla for crown

MANILA, Philippines — Fourth-ranked Eric Jed Olivarez pulled through in a break-filled opening set then clipped No. 2 Jose Maria Pague in the next to hack out a 7-5, 6-1 victory and arrange a showdown with top seed Johnny Arcilla for the Lanao del Norte National Open crown at the MCC courts in Tubod yesterday.

Arcilla, out to atone for his semis setback to eventual winner John Bryan Otico in the recent Malita Open in Davao Occidental, held off third ranked Vicente Anasta, 6-4, 6-3, in the upper half of the 64-player draw that featured the country’s leading players and rising stars.