Elaf Group, Tropapips, NCB netters triumph in Astec tilt

Elaf Group secured its slot in the quarterfinals with a narrow points victory over JRTC 25-23 (2-2) in their category B2 match, Tropapips scored a 3-1 victory over RSTP in category C while NCB had an identical score in beating JRTC-1 as the last few remaining games in the elimination round went full blast in the 25th Astec Team Tennis Challenge played nightly at the Hotel Al-Bilad and Sheraton Hotel courts in Jeddah Corniche.
Starting out with a loss when Lito Zamudio and Rey Tablang succumbed 5-8 to JRTC’s Faizal and Muhaimen, Elaf Group did not lose focus as Ramil Abdua partnered with Marlon Pagsanjan to even the score at 1-1 when they took the second set 8-2 against the pair of Hakim and Acmad Sani.
In the third set singles play Elaf team captain Jun Atienza’s gallant efforts went to naught as he could not control the more consistent Daud Mua to give up the set 4-8.
But fourth set heroes Ronald Mercado and Noel De Guzman made sure the victory would not slip their hands as they combined smoothly to win the set at 8-5 over Lao and Ali Isa and tie the match at 2-2 that propelled Elaf to victory via points 25-23.
Tropapips were undaunted even though their first set tandem of Dean Medrano and Robert Gercayo lost 3-8 to RSTP’s Allan Epan and Cris Balles. Zaldy Gabriel and Odie Guese controlled the next set to win 8-5 over Danny and Rhino Endriga to tie the score at 1-1.
In the third set, Arvin Mendoza put one away from Ahmad Lagman 8-2 to put Tropapips in the lead at 2-1.
Taking the cue, team captain Arnold Perez teamed with Mohd Mostafa Osman to secure an 8-0 win against Jonas and Mark Lidres and the match for Tropapips at 3-1.
In another category C match, National Commercial Bank (NCB) started out strong as Edwin Madrilejo and Alvarez Barreto stormed to an 8-2 win over JRTC’s Ameen and Webb Pango.
JRTC then tied the score at 1-1 with Tonje and Clare winning 8-3 against Gary Morallo and Jun Queano.
A stroke of luck for NCB in the third set gave Adan Republica the set at 8-0 as JRTC’s Rash Mapunod could not show up and was declared default.
With NCB ahead on sets 2-1, Jess Labanda and Edmund Nicolas persevered to survive the tiebreak to win 8-7 over a fighting Tanny and Sammy and end the match with a 3-1 victory for NCB.
Organized by Association of Tennis Clubs (Astec) Jeddah, this team tennis tournament is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop) thru Tony Kassis, Maher Tebakhi and Amin Malik.