JEDDAH, 19 April — All is well that ends well for the 39 various teams that trooped to the Harry Ramsden’s Restaurant, Tahlia Branch recently to celebrate the concluding ceremony and to honor the winners in culmination of the Malaysia Airlines Team Tennis Challenge. The exchange of hostile actions, reactions and expressions were gone after the one and a half month of rigorous tussles of power and stamina in the lawn tennis courts of Albilad Hotel as the tournament participants found their way leading to camaraderie, exchanging pleasantries and jokes, while enjoying the hospitality of the food in buffet — courtesy of Harry Ramsden’s Restaurant, a co-sponsor of the tournament. Malaysia Airlines principally sponsored the tournament with SDD First Net, AlZouman Trading & Swatch Co., and ABS-CBN True Filipino Channel as the other co-sponsors.
Skab Tennis Club stood out above others as it bagged the most number of team and player awards on account of sending three teams into the semifinals — one winning the Category C title, one in the Unified Category B1B semifinal, and, most of all, the other hugging the Most Sportsman Team Award. Players of SKAB-2 in Category C grabbed the spotlight in winning the most honored team trophy, the Most Sportsman Team Award, by virtue of their persistence and exceptional interest in the game, as well as their exemplary attitudes during the tournament. Most of them traveled more than 150 kilometers from far away Rabigh and Shoiba, and back, after their games at midnight on average time just to put on their skill in the major local tennis league. The following are members of that team: Nick Bacalzo (team captain), Jun Dante, Alex Buencamino, and players nicknamed Herman, Mar, Fred, Romy, Roy, Rick.
The Best Rookie Team Award was given for the first time in any ASTEC tournament to acknowledge exceptional achievement of a beginner team, the INK/IEF, that made it to their first win ever in the major local tennis league. Victor Omar, the team captain, received the trophy on behalf of his team from the chairman of ASTEC, the Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah.
Also for the first time, ASTEC announced the names of deserving players for promotion in recognition of their exemplary performance in the previous last two ASTEC tournaments: From Category C to Category B2 — Jun Dante and Alex Buencamino of Skab-2; Ruben Alzate, Jeffrey De Leon, and Gil Tingabngab of SKAB-1; Gani Gasgonia, Jess Ruivivar, Medel Cruz, Roel Consumo, Rey Villaraza, Ben Amarato of KAIA; Albert Arriesgado, Tony Cleofas, Tirso Manalo, Raul Macupac, and Andy Alfante of Hidada; and, Sandy Mandadero of SG-Lipton. From Category B2 to Category B1 — Marcial Barro and Allan Beltran of Hidada, Hermie Calauag of NCB, Booch Maniri of Elaf Travel, and Stephen Malapit of Malaysia Airlines Team. From Category B to Category A1 — Anthony Pangililingan of AGTNF-Aramex. For re-classification from Category A1 to Category B (doubles play only) — Romy Payong of Bristol Myers Team.
Azmi Ismail, the administration manager of Malaysia Airlines, delivered a speech on behalf of Morad Omar, the airlines general manager, who was on official overseas appointment at that time. Azmi highlighted the high level of competition generated during the tournament.
