JEDDAH, 15 March — Hussam Salahi was a major force in winning the tense fifth set singles to lead the Kinetic to a 3-2 victory over the mighty APO team and proved themselves that they are not mere push over in the race for top honors in Category B1 of the ongoing Seiko-AFTPA Year Opening Team Tennis Tournament being played daily at the Sheraton Hotel Tennis Courts.
Seiko-Kinetic’s skillfully planned lineup of player paid handsomely when their first singles Mustafa Hassan played subtly employing a variety of shots to beat big-hitting Adi Banuelos, 8-5. Gerry Alcantara and Shukri Boshar was leading 6-2 but suddenly showing some lapses, Remie Mamuntag and Ronnie Belga took the opportunity and slowly inched closer to grab the next six games to take the set, 6-8. In the second singles, Gil Baylon displayed brilliant tennis when he hammered Ryan Fayez 8-5 and gave APO a 2-1 lead. Ding-dong battle ensued in the next doubles with each pair holding serves midway in the set but the Kinetic’s tandem of Ed Narvaez and Romy Legaspi who were playing superbly in unison against Rommel Cortez and Neph Rosco surged clear to hold serve in the ninth game and broke Cortez in the 12th to take a 7-5 lead. Serving for the set, Narvaez held serve with a whipping crosscourt forehand shot past Rosco at set point to win the set 8-5 and level the game at 2-sets all.
In the deciding fifth singles, Bien Villeta dominated early on the game breaking Kinetic’s Hussam Salahi twice for a 4-0 outbursts. Never giving up easily, Salahi rose to the occasion as a typified kind of player whose offensive shots are simple but effective at most, held his nerve and battled back from 1-4 down the middle. With each player holding serves, Villeta dropped serve on the tenth while Hussam converted the ensuing games. Looking fully confident Hussam bailed himself out from verge of defeat as he unloaded a combination of down the line topspins on both sides coupled with punishing chip shots that keep Villeta in a rickety position, thus winning the tie-break in a brilliant fashion 8-7 (7/3) and a 3-2 final tally. The ensuing tiebreaker finally brought the curtain down on the APO defenders as the Kinetic team and their supporters rose to their feet in great jubilation after the exciting finish.
Meanwhile, Hempel-Jafforms displaying a sterling performance got something to cheer about when they prevailed against the tough SKAB team 3-2. Ruben Rosario started out strongly, capturing the first singles by beating hapless Charlito Lazaga, 8-1. Hempel’s pair of Butch Maniri and Benjie Usman pulled even by whipping Romy Torres and Nonie Fayo 8-2. Youthful Jimboy Jimena easily overcame Stephen Maradan 8-1 to put SKAB in charge with a 2-1 lead. Raymund Sy and Jun Amancio ensured parity by beating Art Simene and Paul Lauchengco 8-2. Hempel, leaned on the heroics of Venus Layoso and saved their pride with a hard-fought victory over Mohsen Yousuf in the deciding singles, dominating the game from the start and went on to a 4-0 lead but suffered a mid-match wobble losing the next five games to Mohsen. Sensing trouble Layoso was quick to recover converting serve in the eleventh game to lead 6-5 and went on to break serve on the thirteenth game after Mohsen’s conversion on the twelfth that put Mohsen on the driver’s seat. Serving for the match, Mohsen was served out forcing a tie-break. Layoso then cleverly used varied shots combined with heavy backhand and forehand topspins to nail Moshen in the baseline winning the tie-breaker 8-7 (7/5).
This two-month long tournament is principally sponsored by Al Hussaini & Co. and Al Yahya Trading Co., the distributor of Seiko products in Saudi Arabia with Reebok Saudi Arabia (Zahid Tractor), Singapore Airlines, Najran Mineral Water, Racquet Shop, Pepsi Cola Bugshan, and friends of AFTPA as co-sponsors.
Hidada who rushed to post three wins in a row in their three outings to assure themselves for a place into the next round put up a hard-fought battle and emerged victorious against Saudia City in Category B2. The opening salvo had Rashid Ramasasa and Jake Viduya displaying scintillating tennis match over Joel Irasusta and Tony Mercado, 8-6. Marcial Barro proved too strong for Earp Casilac winning 8-2 to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Romy Soriano and Ely Sajo won by default against Ed Santiago and Allan Beltran while Rene Jamilla fought back in a thrilling style to beat Khalid Hizham 8-5 and leveled the playing field at 2-2. Hidada completed their mastery when Roger Abarra and Francis Idjao proved the stronger pair in the decider against Willie Caparangca and Manny Bato winning the tie-break 8-7 (7/1) and the match 3-2.
In other category B2 match, Teledesign-TPST3 edged closer to the next round when they registered an impressive 4-1 win over TBC while Express Point wiped out Seiko 4-1.
In the Unified B1B category, Hempel Paints-Jafforms put up a strong finish before subduing stubborn MSL-XYZ Smashers. Bong Andales and Jimboy Jimena combined forces to register a facile win over Dado Ignacio and Sonny Manangkil 8-3. Roland Santos prevented Hempel’s onslaught by quashing the challenge of Popoy Macaampao who failed to capitalize on his booming serve 8-4. The inspired Hempel duo duplicated the feat of their colleagues by pocketing the deciding doubles through Lito Dumas and Boots Maniri 8-5 at the expense of Boyet dela Cruz and Rey Lianza for a 2-1 tally. In another Unified B1B category match, Saudia City was bitterly disappointed with their 2-1 loss at the hands of BCJ. With two wins tucked in their sleeves, BCJ has already secured a semifinals berth.
In Category C tussle, Basamh-Goody’s Andrew Villan and Nestor Tutor started strongly against Ato Andaya and Boyet Vejarasco winning 8-2. Teenage Colin Dektar blasted Bien Islanan 8-1 to level at 1-1. Raul Pacupac coalesced with Eric Abrantes and won in tie-break against Makee Colacion and Jerry Sacanle 8-7 (7/2). Teledesign leaned on the heroics of Jonathan Gravino who was down 2-7 early in the game but did not easily give up and saved Teledesign from brink of collapse when he beat Jojo Aran in another nerve-wracking tie-break 8-7 (7/4) to pull even at 2-2. The deciding set saw Anthony and Conrad Perez putting a strong challenge by whipping Hermie Rabadon and Danny Mariano 8-5 for a 3-2 final tally.
Results of other category C matches: Saudia City Bombers surrendered to JPTC-Siyanco 2-3; Zuhair Fayez demolished Teledesign-TPST2 4-1; Saudia Flyers overpowered Express Point 4-1; JPTC-Siyanco hammered Saudia-Internet@Kape 3-2; RB-Stringers2 thumped Express Point 4-1; Basamh-Goody surrendered to Teledesign-TPST1 2-3.
