JEDDAH, 27 February 2004 — A team composed of first-timers in ASTEC tournament playing under the banner of Klim-Nestle outplayed Tennis Starlets in category C competition during the first week of action in the on-going Malaysia Airlines Tennis Cup, being held simultaneously at the Albilad Hotel and the Sheraton Hotel tennis courts.
The crowd-drawer Starlets took a beating with a dose of their own style of hard-hitting tennis game and lost to Klim-Nestle 4 sets to one. It was all over in the first 3 doubles, per the best-of-5 tournament rule. Klim’s Alex Cabral/Bong Mayoral upheld their ‘business as usual’ momentum in the 4th doubles and credited themselves an 8-4 gain over Starlets’ Dante Santiago/Lorenz Abanilla. It had been a breezing 8-2 win by Noel Martinez/Chris Catacutan against Omee Basa/Marlon Ordono in the 1st doubles. Then, team captain Allan Duran teamed with Lito Reyes in the second set to post a straightforward 8-1 victory, allowing only one service game to Armand dela Cruz/Edwin Gomez. Klim’s Elmer Panelo/Willy Flores followed suit with an identical 8-1 overwhelming of Bogie Ricafort/Tony Ong in the 3rd set. Orlee Reyes and Lack Quijano saved the Starlets from total blackout, winning the 5th set at 8-3 versus Ed Santos/Rolly Plamenco of Klim-Nestle.
In category B2 action, Hidada team took their first victory, breezing past Siemens 4-1. The Siemens team, who would normally travel 150 kilometer from work base in Rabigh just to join this tournament, seemed off to a big haul when their first doubles Leo Paras/Lito Mendez overtook Hidada’s Gil Tingabngab/Andrew Villan at 8-6. But that was all the Siemens team could muster, as their travel-weary players fumbled in the next 4 sets. Hidada’s Rey Diega/Tirso Manalo downed Mohammed Maramhi/Diwa Marcelo, 8-5. Andy Alfante/Macoy Flores breezed past Chito Alindayo/Ric Manrique, 8-1. Rashid Ramasasa/Albert Arriesgado nipped Arnold Isidro/Rod Dizon, 8-7. Teody Manguera/Tony Cleofas nosed out Art Barrameda/Benny Enriquez, 8-7.
In category B1, it was show time for the Jaspers Tennis Club as their twin teams Hempel-Jaforms & Jaforms-Hempel took the court No. 1 of Albilad Hotel by storm with a show of nerves in tiebreakers — in which their sole playing manager, Reggie Sanosa, was a loser in the 4th set though his Hempel-Jaforms team won. All of the sets went that way except in the 1st set wherein Sixto Baui/Qusai Mohasin had an 8-5 win over Celso Salenga/Earp Casilac that triggered a 1-2-3 twister by Hempel-Jaforms over Jaforms-Hempel starring Leo Borje/Mel Fiesta versus Jess Catigan/Tony Mercado (8-7) and Eissah Mandouh/Alex Pena against Don Adiova/Aris Galo (8-7). Jaforms-Hempel saved the last 2 sets with similar 8-7 wins by Cris Dacer/Art Babaan against Reggie Sanosa/Ricky Torres, and Ely Mallari/Cromwell Marzo beating Leo Lagramada/Alex Duma.
A Jovy Abella-led team in mixed category B-pus/B/B1 held high the Theragram-M banner by chalking up the first win in the category. Playing under a best-of-3 rule, they were beaten by SG team in the 1st set, 5-8, after Roland Santos/Sonny Manangkil were upset by Ferdie Gaviola/Buddy Linaming. Teody Bea/Robert Lucban brought Theragram-M at 1-set all after a tiebreaker win against SG’s Romy Paraiso/Jess Gatbonton. Jovy Abella/Adi Banuelos did a catch-up job all the way from 0-1 service game up to 6-7 in against SG’s Alam Chaudry/A. Danny, and clawed back to 7-all for the tiebreaker that put the Theragram-M safe and sound with a 7-0 score and a final 2-1 victory.
Malaysia Airlines is the principal sponsor of this tournament with Racquet Shop as secondary sponsor.
