JEDDAH, 5 April — Victories by APO and Hempel-Jaforms over their respective opponents in contrasting styles in their semifinal matches showed that they are the team to watch in the Unified B1B category setting themselves for a championship match of the ongoing 5th Seiko-AFTPA Year Opening Team Tennis Tournament being played daily at the Al Bilad Hotel tennis courts.
APO’s flashy showing stamped to much class as they shellacked Saudia City 2-1. The first doubles saw Nemie Melencio and Jun Amancio sweeping past Adi Banuelos and Rommel Villanueva with ease to score 8-4. Rudy Palustre had to summon all his resources to stay into the fray but was reduced to pieces by a determined Roden Luangco 6-8 and leveled the match at 1-1. Rexie Hermano and Gil Baylon raced to a 5-0 score early in the set and did the tricks for APO when they finally sealed the match 8-3 for a 2-1 final tally.
Hempel on the other hand displayed an impressive repertoire of stroke making to dispose of BCJ. The supremely confident Hempel team literally toyed with their opponents as they exacted a straight set victory over their former tormentors in the elimination round. Popoy Macaampao and Benjie Usman displayed exhilarating tennis disposing Fernan Viray and Loy Escabusa 8-5. Jimboy Jimena remarkably in the prime of his young career overpowered veteran Romy Payong 8-4. Payong put up some resistance midway but was still on the defensive often and couldn’t make a dent on the youthful Jimena.
Meanwhile in category B1, SKAB battled their way to a 3-2 win over Saudi Divers to set up a championship showdown against Hempel-Jaforms. SKAB’s Ruben Rosario was in a belligerent mood as he took the first set with an 8-5 whipping of Marcial Barro. Danny Canoy and George Garguena found some reserves of energy to raise their game and took control of the first doubles as they bundled out Nonie Fayo and Paul Lauchengco 8-4 to pull even at 1-1. Fast-rising Jimboy Jimena reign supreme and pulled surprise by posting an 8-5 win over Nilo Loremia. Bong Floza and Loy Escabusa restored parity with an 8-5 triumph over Romy Torres and Bong Safe. A tense fifth set, singles-ensued with Mohsen Yousuf surging to a commanding 5-0 lead early in the game before he finally led his team to triumph prevailing against Khalid Hizham, 8-4.
In the lower half of the draw, Hempel-Jaforms, by the dint of experienced players, came up trumps and proved too strong for the Seiko-Kinetic with an emphatic 3-0 win. The Kinetic, however, realized that the ride that leads to the top is, as usual, unpredictable.
In Category C, Saudia City-Flyers considerably in a class of their own, ranged against a keenly-polished lineup of team, posted an unassailable 3-1 win against RB-Stringers. The first doubles saw Flyers’ Leo Lutero and Roy Buot winning against Ramil Adrayan and Darion Padere 8-4. Ali Adzhar made the better of Rod Dizon 8-5 in a battle of baseline games to take the 2-0 lead. RB-Stringers took the second singles when Flyers’ Ernie Hayahay failed to show up on the allocated defaulting time. Ariel Regis stormed back but was stretched to the limit before overpowering Warren Tantingco 8-6 for a 3-1 final tally. Basamh-Goody who stamped class-dispatching JPTC-Siyanco earlier has made a steady progress easing into the finals with a workmanlike 3-1 victory over Teledesign-TPST1.
In Category B2, Bahlas Carpets-Express Point kept a tight noose over Teledesign-TPST netters from the start, and did not allow any respite throughout the game and finally winning 3-2 en route to the finals. Hidada-HiTec brimming with confidence oblivious of what had in store for them as they breezed through JPTC-Siyanco with a 3-0 straight sets.
This two month tournament is principally sponsored by Al Hussaini & Co. and Al Yahya Trading Co., the exclusive distributor of Seiko products in Saudi Arabia with Reebok Saudi Arabia (Zahid Trec), Singapore Airlines, Najran Mineral Water, Racquet Shop, Pepsi Cola Bugshan, and friends of AFTPA as co-sponsors.
Meanwhile, chairman Ding Miranda announced that the organizing committee had finally decided on the format of the games for the RP-Independence Cup Doubles Tennis Tournament scheduled to start from May 3 to June 14 at the Al Bilad Hotel tennis courts. Nearly patterned after the Davis Cup, any of the player will be playing the opening or the second singles and if in case the match reaches the third set, a doubles game will be played to determine the winner. Also considered is the Ladies category, the setup of which is also patterned after the men’s doubles.
