ALKHOBAR, 19 December 2003 — Tess Velasco & Deanne Davis and Ma. Luisa Torres & Analina Isabel Versoza beat their rivals for the Feta Lotto Open 2003 Ladies Doubles Class A & B championships in the Filipino Expatriates Tennis Association (FETA).
In Class A finals, partners Nancibel Bustillo and Elaine Joyce San Jose were unable to avenge their 6-2, 7-6 (6) semifinals loss to Velasco & Davis that relegated them to the losers’ bracket. Velasco and Davis who won all their matches in straight sets in their march to the finals confidently stamped their class and domination over their rivals. The first set was tightly contested but Velasco & Davis won 6-4, 6-3.
In Class B, Esper “Peggy” Arabia and Monnie Gamboa emerged from the losers bracket but were unable to avenge their heartbreaking 3-set semifinal loss to the eventual champions Ma. Luisa Torres and partner Analina Isabel Versoza.
Arabia and Gamboa won the tightly-contested first set at 7-5 but an inspired Torres and Versoza came back strongly in the second set to win 6-1. Though the tandem of Arabia and Gamboa showed more heart and guts to take the third set at 7-5, the deciding set, lacking the drama and tension of the previous sets, and the championship trophy was won by Torres and Versoza 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
At least 7 FETA players made it to the finals — four in doubles and three in singles in the men’s singles and doubles.
In flight 1 Singles, top seed Roderick Lazaro will face Feta top gun Mario “Cocoy” Ares in the finals. Lazaro made quick work of Jess Amita, while Ares struggled in the first set but found his range in the second to beat Abbas in the other semifinal.
Rene Icasiano of BTA will have the opportunity to join the elite Flight 1 group if he wins against counter-puncher Sonny Santos in men’s singles Flight 2 finals. Icasiano neutralized the power of Abukhamseen and will now have to beat Santos. Jeck Olaguer’s surprising run continued when he defeated Sri Lankan Fernando Dempsey in the semifinals 6-4, 7-5 to set up a meeting with Manny Acantilado, who ended Edwin Alvarez’ dream of getting into the finals. It will be an all FETA player Flight 3 men’s singles final.
It’s also an all FETA player final in Class A men’s doubles. Mike Cortez and Kennedy Pacubas defeated the tandem of Rod Garcia & Sonny Orcales. Cortez and Pacubas did not drop a set in the previous rounds. Cortez is seeking to win a championship for the last time before going home to the Philippines for good. Butch Claro and Lito San Jose who sent home the ELTA duo E. Cruz and D. Dela Cruz in straight sets are their opponents in the final. Claro and San Jose also did not drop a set in the previous rounds.
The FETA Lotto ATP Open 2003 will have new faces in the finals of Class C men’s doubles. Joel Auro & Noel Lososrata will play A. Sampaco & U. Sajid Khan.
It will be partners B. Alcazaren & B. Endaya versus the never-say-die tandem of N. Cui and J. Jumalon in Class B men’s doubles.
