JRTC, RSTP, SCTC win Astec mixed category titles

Jeddah: Orly Mamaril & Chet Bautista

JRTC was forced to play four sets before finally winning the HMX championship against a persistent RSTP team, while in the MMX category RSTP reigned supreme over JBTP-Lacoste needing only three sets to lift the crown and in the LMX category, SCTC-Pepsi, fresh from its championship win in category B2, rallied from 0-2 down in the match to grab the champion’s trophy away from RSTP at the close of the 23rd Astec Team Tennis Tournament 2012 at the Hotel Al-Bilad courts in Jeddah Corniche.
Jeddah Ranao Tennis Club (JRTC) picked a right matchup as their pair of Allan Beltran-Maarouf Pantaran subdued RSTP’s undefeated pair of Jerome-Ani 8-6 in the first set.
In the second set, singles specialist Ely Mangca was too much to handle for Juvy Tagudin in an 8-3 rout to give JRTC a commanding 2-0 lead. The third set saw the resurgence of RSTP, as team captain Francis Idjao and Jun Ouano took matters in their own hands to win over a fighting tandem of Marcial Barro-Arnold Tavera 8-5 to put their team within striking distance of the championship. A crucial fourth set with JRTC leading 2-1 and a 4-statistical point cushion was what Alimbsar Umpa-Lantong Patara needed to play a heads-up game over a pressured RSTP duo of Domelo Gesta-Bok Gregorio. It was all over at 5-4 and JRTC was declared champion due to win via points earned.
In the MMX category, Red Sea Tennis Players (RSTP) captured the championship against a surprised Jeddah base Tennis Players (JBTP).
RSTP took the first set on an 8-1 win by Tony Mirasol-Ron Valdez over a stunned Celso Salenga-Ador Olivo. JBTP countered when Mhedz Mabang-Cliff Castaneda scored an 8-3 victory over Ramil Abdua-Joel De Castro to level the score at 1-1. Housam I-Basha-Domelo Gesta stormed past Ely Mallari-Egay Go 8-2 to give RSTP the lead at 2-1 with an eight statistical points lead. It was all over at this point since the fourth set pair of Ramon Monterde-Randy Martin needed only a point to claim the championship which they did over Faiz Amil-Cromwell Marzo at 1-3. That single point was enough for them to be declared champion in the MMX category.
It was a sudden turn of events in category LMX in which Saudia City Tennis Clubs SCTC-Pepsi Jess Batingal clinched the coveted trophy. Trailing 0-2 in the match with the 1-8 loss of Ramil Abdua-Mhouz Martinez from RSTP’s Ramzi-Housam I-Basha and the tie-break 7-8 setback of Ronnie Santos-Froi Lim to Ramon Monterde-Joel Quimpo in the first and second set, Amin Paraji-Deddy Taryono’s third set win of 8-1 over Vic Alvaran-Jimmy Abat shifted fortunes in their favor and put SCTC within striking distance at 2-1 in the match. With their new lease on life, Haroun Ratag-Henry Siazon never wasted a moment in posting an 8-3 win over Cris Balles-Jonathan Contreras to tie the match at 2-2 and win via points 24-20 to grab the championship.
This tournament is organized by the Association of Tennis Clubs, Jeddah (Astec) with the support of Tony Kassis and Amin Malik of DELTAZ Marketing, and Prince as the official tennis balls of the event.