JEDDAH, 8 February — Malaysia Airlines Team C led a bunch of four teams in Category C that reached milestones in different ways on the first couple of days of the Malaysia Airlines Team Tennis Challenge that started game hostilities on Saturday at the Al-Bilad tennis courts. Carrying the colors of the sponsoring airline company, and composed of newly organized crew of players from different clubs, the team led the charge of debuting teams by blanking the re-appearance of the RPA Lakers in the local league and registering the first 5-0 score in the tournament.
SG-Lipton, the newcomer now-turned mainstay in Group 1 Category C, turned tables on Hidada-Tetrapak (the highly-favored and ex-champion team) and made a big splash in the tennis courts by taking down the top seed in Category C with a score of 4-1.
Another newcomer, the King Faisal Naval Base (KFNB) team that used to be called Jafforms, drew first blood by registering the first win in the tournament — and their first in ASTEC — at the expense of the PSME team, 3-2. The Bison-DHL team got the biggest break in its victory quest by wrapping up its first-ever winning match (3-2) in the local circuit, squeaking passed a new KAIA Team-2. SPTC Team C got the better of SOTC this time around on the second day of the tournament with a score of 3-2 as the Samahang Pinoy took advantage of the inexperienced Saudi Oger’s doubles in the 4th and the 5th sets.
A brand-new team composed of neophytes, INK/IEF, almost got into the win column but missed the chance in the telling breaks at the deciding set that edged them behind the fun-loving NCB Team-C, 2-3. Another new team, Skab-3 Team C got spanked by the journeymen of Balubaid Tennis Club, 1-4.
Upsets continued to take its toll on the third day of the tournament as KAIA Team-1 C, champions of the LG Cup Team Tennis, was waylaid on the side at the mark of 2-3 by the surging Skab-C Team-1, titlest of the recently-concluded Bagong Bicol Saro Team Tennis Championship. As if that was not enough to torment the favorites, Garuda took its own beating at the hands of another newly-formed Elaf Team-C at the score of 2-3. Again, the ball continued its natural rounding course on the fourth day as a relatively unknown team, SWCC, bounced off the bluffing posture of TPST with a scintillating catch-up play in the deciding set — down from 1-5 games, up until the 7-all tie-breaker that went their way.
Not only did the SG-Lipton bundled out the strong Hidada-Tetrapak team, but they also threw the book on their opponent during the fifth set on account of illegal entry of an unknown B2-class player against whom they protested, and the complaint was upheld by the Tournament Committee with a resultant winning score of 4-1. The player, Mar Barro, came out scorching the center court with well-placed volleys and ground strokes, retrieving difficult return shots, and grinding out successive advantage points that impressed the organizers — but to no avail as his almost one-man show was nullified and his doubles score was reversed 3-8 in favor of SG-Lipton’s Delmar Velasquez and Hassan Halibi.
In front of their managers (Albert Reyes of Unilever and L. Moreno of Sierra Homes) who watched the 5-doubles match, SG-Lipton team lived up to the sort of hype that made them the best-coached team in their category with the presence of Anthony Pangalilingan, a former A2-class player, in their side — aside from being the best-uniformed team in Category C. SG-Lipton doused their opponents with gutsy shots in the middle 2-3-4 sets that took apart Tetrapak’s will to fight back.
The first set showed listless plays of SG-Lipton’s double of Allan Berreta and Maynard Enciso as they went down almost nil at the score of 1-8 against the duo of Tetrapak’s Albert Arriesgado/Jojo Aran.
SG-Lipton’s Ronald dela Cruz and Eden Paras prevailed in the second doubles (8-5) against Tetrapak’s Rodel Ricafort and Rey Diega; Sandy Mandadero/Ernie Cunanan against Raul Pacupac/Andy Alfante, 8-6; Willy Ancheta/Romy Munoz against Andrew Villan/Tirso Manalo, 8-4.
Malaysia Airlines is the major sponsor of this event. Co-sponsors are: SDD First Net, Toyota, Albilad Hotel, Al Zouman Cargo & Swatch Co., ABS-CBN TFC, and Sports Planet.
ASTEC (Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah) is managing the tournament under the following board of officers are: Cesar Quilenderino, chairman; Jun Thomas — vice-chairman for Administration, Jojo Casem — vice-chairman for operation, Rhodel Rina — tournament director, Erwin Pangan — secretary, Greg Damaso — treasurer, Efren Rofrigo — auditor, Ajmi Jamil & Pol Fernandez — business managers, Boy Siquijor — public relation officer, Bernie Soguilon & Nick Bacalzo — facility managers, and Noel De Guzman — program coordinator.
