CEBU, Philippines - Multi-titled Cebuano netter Jan Godfrey Seno and the visiting Erika Manduriao led the cast of finalists in the PSC-PHILTA Junior Tennis Championships at the CITCI-Consolacion Tennis Club courts in Laray, Consolacion.
Seno booked two championship tickets after edging out Manuel Navales, 6-1, 6-3 in the boys 16 semis and winning by default over Joshua Kinaadman in the boys 18. He will face Manuel Balce and Clyde Bienes in the boys 16 and 18 finals, respectively.
Balce advanced after whipping Francis Lambayan, 7-5, 6-2, while Bienes kept his titles hopes alive in the boys 18 class after fending off Mikel Lauron, 6-1, 0-6, 12-10.
Lambayan though still has something to look forward to as he barged into the boys 14 finals opposite Clyde John Laquio after he subdued Balce, 7-6,4-7, 6-2.
Like Seno, Manduriao also secured two finals ticket in the same age-group with Seno. Manduriao will face Dominique Ong in the girls 18 finals and Cebu's pride Jana Pages in the girls 16 class.
Pages had her share of ups and downs yesterday, but is looking forward to playing in the championship round today. She shocked Hanna Espinosa in the girls 18 quarterfinals, but lost to Ong in the semis, 2-6, 6-1, 10-3.
Pages, however, scored sweet redemption of sort after she tamed Ong, 6-4, 2-6, 11-9 to march into the girls 16 finale.
On the other hand, the Salimbangon siblings Kara and Cesar Kristofer booked a final ticket. Kara set up a gold medal match with Zethley Mae Alferez in the girls 14 division, while Cesar Kristofer will take on Jace Onto for supremacy in the boys 12.
The other finalists were Elaine Rose Bahonsua vs. Mariel Ann Villa in the girls 12 and Wilbert Noel vs. John David Velez in the unisex 10-under. (FREEMAN)