JEDDAH, 19 March 2004 — Siyangco of Jeddah Port Tennis Club downed Saudia Flyers in the last and deciding doubles to top Group 4 in category B2. FTC quelled top-seeded NCB-Evian, also in the deciding 5th set, to top Group 2, while SPTC-Langkawi upstaged AFTPA in the 4th set to land 3rd in the same group, SPTC-Jameel and Team Adnan Bakr too are No. 1 in Groups 1 & 3 respectively in the 5th Malaysia Airlines Tennis Cup.
At the Sheraton Hotel tennis courts, Siyangco’s 1st doubles Kerby Valenzuela-Rudy Maduro went down 5-8 to Saudia’s Jhon Perarin-Ricky Pasturan. George Bornales-Ferdie Rama beat Saudia’s JR Tumbaga-Joel Irasusta 8-5 and then Siyangco’s Ed Ultra, along with Ver Artificio, routed Roy Buot-Emil Dy 8-1.
But Saudia’s Leo Lutero-Roy Samonte beat Rod Reyes-Manny Rostata 8-4 that leveled the sets at 2-all before Siyangco’s Marlon Espina-Gino Ruperez team fired up a 8-5 win against Saudia’s Ian Manning-Mio Baquerto for a key win.
At Albilad Hotel, FTC scuttled the spirited comeback of NCB-Evian in a battle of unbeaten teams. Darkhorse team Louie Bautista-Rey Lacsina of the NCB team launched their fightback against the highly-favored tandem of Jun Manuel-Acmed Sani of FTC, from 2-6 to 6-6. But Jun, with his deep strokes, and Acmad, with his net play, took the tie at 8-6 for a 3-2 overall score.
In the same group, SPTC-Langkawi took center stage by defeating AFTPA-B2 4-1. SPTC-Langkawi got a scare from AFTPA’s Ruel Consumo and Royce Lagarde, both freshmen in category B2, who proved their mettle against their more experienced opponents and had the game under their control from 1-all to 6-5.
But SPTC’s 4th doubles team, Pete Entico and Cesar Pabico, staged their own uphill battle chipping off the 5-6 deficit by racking up 3 successive game points to post an 8-6 victory in the 4th set. The win, plus their victories in the 1st and 2nd sets but a loss in the 3rd and 5th sets, put SPTC-Langkawi in 3rd place in Group 2 and left the AFTPA team in the 4th slot.
Team Adnan Bakr, under the coaching of Larry Safe of Albilad Hotel Recreation Center, topped the elite 4 under Group 3. Joining them are SG-Romy, SPTC-Nezar, and Elaf Travel in that order.
SPTC-Jameel breezed to the top of Group 1 after their stint as Category-C Champions in last year Malaysia Airlines Tennis Cup and the recent AFTPA year-end tournament. SG-Albert, KAIA, and NCB2 now complete the top 4 of Group 1 in that order.
Malaysia Airlines is the principal sponsor of this tournament with Racquet Shop (a division of Delta Marketing) as secondary sponsor. Other co-sponsors are: Farnas Cargo Services thru Gilmore Garcia, La Parilla Restaurant, Cali Drinks/Blackstallion Trading Co., El Gusto Sarisari Store, Albilad Hotel, and TFC (The Filipino Channel).
