MANILA, Philippines — Eric Jed Olivarez secured his spot in the finals of the Rep. Edwin Olivarez National Open tennis championship with a gritty win over Loucas Fernandez, 6-0, 7-6(0), at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque last Monday.
After breezing through the first set, the top-seeded Olivarez found himself in a dogfight in the second as Fernandez mounted a strong comeback with the latter taking a commanding 4-0 lead. But Olivarez demonstrated resilience, winning four straight games to force a tiebreaker.
In the end, the seasoned player’s experience shone through as he outlasted Fernandez in the tiebreak to advance to the championship round of the Group A tournament presented by Dunlop.
Olivarez thus moved one win away from his second consecutive Open title, having already triumphed in the Mayor Eric Olivarez National Open last August. However, his path to the championship is far from guaranteed, as he faces the up-and-coming John Benedict Aguilar in today’s (Wednesday, Oct. 16) finals.
Aguilar, an 18-year-old rising star from Camalig, Albay, pulled off a thrilling upset in the semis, toppling second-seeded Vicente Anasta in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
After losing the opening frame, Aguilar found his rhythm, dominating the next two sets with powerful baseline play and impressive shot-making. His victory over the veteran Anasta is a testament to his talent and potential, as the young prodigy continues his quest for his first Open title.
Aguilar’s journey to the finals has been remarkable. After a dominant second-round win over Ethan Ante, 6-0, 6-2, he overpowered Vince Serna, 6-1, 6-0, before advancing to the semis via retirement from Eric Tangub.
Aguilar then showed his mettle against Anasta, battling back from a first-set loss to claim the win and set up a finals showdown with the seasoned Olivarez.
Olivarez, for his part, has been in fine form throughout the tournament, cruising through the early rounds. He defeated Ariel Cabaral, 6-1, 6-0, Elvin Geluz, 6-4, 6-1, and John Kendrick Bona, 6-3, 6-0, en route to the semis.
Against Fernandez, Olivarez showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the first set, but had to dig deep in the second to secure the win.
The finals promise to be an exciting battle between experience and youth, with Olivarez looking to add another trophy to his collection and Aguilar aiming to make his mark on the national stage.
Olivarez is also in contention for the doubles title, in partnership with Anasta. The second-seeded duo overcame Elvin Geluz and Eric Tangub in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the finals. They will face top seeds Rolly Saga and Bryan Saarenas, who prevailed over John Altiche and Alberto Villamor, 6-4, 6-4, in the other semifinal match.
The doubles final is also scheduled at 3 p.m., also on Wednesday.