JEDDAH, 22 March — Reaching the penultimate stage of the elimination round, it is crystal clear that with RB-Stringers-1 to the front in Group I, they lived up to their top billing when they secured the first quarterfinals berth in category C in the ongoing 5th Seiko-AFTPA Year Opening Team Tennis Tournament being played everyday at the Sheraton Hotel tennis courts.
Commanding a 5-1 win loss record, RB-Stringers-1 handily thrashed Saudia-Internet@Kape with a 4-1 advantage. RB-Stringers’ Frank Roque and Dario Padere captured the first doubles 8-6 edging past Ed Canotal and Nilo Supelana. Rod Dizon showed tennis prowess when he dumped Ricky Pasturan 8-3. With the Stringers fully in control of the game for a 2-0 advantage, Jake Calara and Ramil Adrayan completed the sweep when they crashed Tata Amor and Akas Caibal 8-4. The diminutive Bogs Miranda, a fast rising 11-year-old prodigy, resuscitated the Bombers and saved them from further embarrassment with a convincing win against Andy Bernabe 8-4. JR Tumbaga and Joel Acosta combined forces to beat Ed Baltazar and Warren Tantingco 8-5.
Meanwhile, Saudia City Flyers led the pack in Group II with four winning games currently tucked to their belt and are seemed to poise for a clean sweep heading for their final match. Completing the cast of quarterfinalists from this group and are potential championship campaigners are Teledesign-TPST1, Hidada and Basamh-Goody. In their last match, Basamh Goody displayed a sparkling performance to pull a convincing win against RB-Stringers 2. Basamh’s Raul Pacupac and Eric Abrantes surrendered to Nilo Bacunawa and Hadji Coza 4-8. But despite losing the first doubles, Jojo Aran was quick to recover with an 8-4 trashing of Loi Atienza. Andrew Villan and Rey Diega followed suit with an identical 8-4 drubbing of Charlie Marvella and Jun Mabini for a 2-1 lead for Basamh. Art Barrameda did not easily gave up the fight when he trashed Nestor Tutor 8-2 to level at 2 sets all. The deciding doubles pair of Bien Islanan and Danny Mariano completed the mastery over their opponents with an 8-4 verdict against Benny.
In other category C results: JPTC/Siyanco whacked Internet@Kape 3-2; RB-Stringers 2 trounced Express Point 4-2; Saudia Flyers whisked Teledesign-TPST1 4-1; Balubaid blanked Teledesign-TPST2 5-0; JPTC/Siyanco repeated a sterling performance to quashed Zuhair Fayez 3-2; RB-Stringers-1 blasted Saudia Bombers 3-2.
This two-month tournament is principally sponsored by Al Hussaini & Co. and Al Yahya Trading Co., the exclusive distributor of Seiko products in Saudi Arabia with Reebok Saudi Arabia (Zahid Trector), Singapore Airlines, Najran Mineral Water, Racquet Shop, Pepsi Cola Bugshan, and Friends of AFTPA as co-sponsors.
Saudi Divers required sheer determination and put up a spirited fight before overpowering Hempel-Jafforms in Category B1. Saudi Divers’ Marcial Barro jumped to an early lead winning the first set against Stephen Maradan 8-4. Determined to resolve Hempel’s Benjie Usman and Butch Manere fought back by trouncing Bong Flosa and Loy Escabusa 8-4 to level the field at one set apiece. Nilo Loremia combined power and consistency brought Saudi Divers to an early lead after he swept Venus Layoso 8-5. Undeterred, Raymund Sy and Jun Amancio dug deeper into their reservoir with their master crafted blistering ground strokes and defensive lobs combined with some net plays to tame Danny Canoy and Khalid Hizham in a thrilling tiebreak 8-7 (7-4) and bounced back to pull even at 2-2. The deciding singles saw George Garguena slugging is out against Mel Fiesta winning the set 8-5 for a 3-2 final tally for Saudi Divers.
In the Unified B1B category, the rejuvenated Hempel Paints-Jafforms outwitted one of their strongest rivals, the APO team to record their second win in three outings. Hempel’s Bong Andales and Jimboy Jimena swept past Jovy Abella and Adi Banuelos 8-3. APO looked poised for an early defeat with Boots Manere fully in control early games until Roden Luangco was quick to recover to pull even by thrashing Boots Manere 8-5. Popoy Macaampao and Benjie Usman made a resounding success by posting a convincing win against Rexy Hermano and Gil Baylon 8-4 for a 2-1 final tally. In another Unified B1B results, BCJ prevailed over Saudia City 2-1 while MSL Rubber-XYZ Smashers was impressive against APO 2-1.
Meanwhile, Chairman Ding Miranda revealed that the RP-Independence Cup Doubles Tennis Tournament held in conjunction with the 104th Philippine Independence Day celebration is scheduled to start from May 03 to June 14 at the Al Bilad Hotel Tennis Courts. At stake are championship trophies in categories C, B2, B1 & B. A new and interesting doubles format patterned after the Davis Cup is in the final level of discussion with the organizing committee that will be introduced in the local competition for the first time this year. Miranda also bared that the awards night and presentation of trophies to the winners capping the ongoing tournament is tentatively scheduled on April 12 at the Al Bilad Hotel poolside.
