RSTP, NCB, Reem Riviera triumph in ALBAIK tennis tourney

A depleted team Red Sea Tennis Players (RSTP) took the championship trophy for the B1 category at the expense of JIS-Alfredo’s while Reem Riviera Resort-Uricane team also having a crippled line-up brought home the category C title after beating Flexpack in their finals encounter.
National Commercial Bank (NCB) on the other hand had to go to an extended super tie break win before they were crowned supreme in the Lower Mixed (LMX) category as the Finals weekend brought to a close the staging of the 4th ALBAIK Team Tennis Challenge 2012, organized and managed by the Association of Tennis Clubs, Jeddah (ASTEC) at the Al-Bilad Hotel tennis courts in Jeddah, Corniche.
RSTP team captain Carmelo Nery with partner Benny Lazarte spearheaded the campaign for their quest of glory as they defeated the father and son tandem of Rey and Renz Lacsina via an 8-6 score to chalk the first point in their category B1 finals game against JIS-Alfredo’s. With RSTP’s Domelo Gesta and Randy Martin on vacation, only Joel De Castro was suited to play so the second set was defaulted and awarded the 8-0 win to Tim San Gabriel and Albert Bayot to tie the match at 1-1 with Alfredo’s enjoying a six-point advantage. A crucial third set was taken by RSTP as Ruben Macalindong and Jojo Aran pummeled Rodan and Rodil Mativo into submission winning via an 8-3 score. This put the match into a winner take all fourth set which RSTP’s Tony Mirasol and Tonton Pana anchored to win via a tie-break against Sanny Valencia and Bong Mayoral to put the match score to 3-1 and give the championship to RSTP.
National Commercial Bank (NCB) never lost focus even after their first set pair of Romvon and Rey Polintan lost 2-8 against team ALBAIK’s Marlon Ordono and Bai Haqi. Team manager Sohail Hafez with the equally proficient Mohamed Hamawy took matters in their own hands as they reversed the score in NCB”s favor by winning 8-2 over Ramil Abdua and Mark Salas to tie the match at 1-1 with scores even. In the third set, Roger Dolores and Marlon Regala continued the onslaught as they defeated the game Amin Paraji and Boyet Zozobrado with an 8-6 win to give NCB a 2-1 match score with a plus-two points lead. In the fourth set, NCB’s Manny Dela Cruz and Adan Republica lost out to the more seasoned Lito Mosquera and Jun Vidal but managed to score six points at 6-8 to tie the match at 2-2 with a 24-24 points count necessitating a 12-point super tie-break extension to determine the winner. The super tie break pitted Sohail Hafez and Roger Dolores for NCB against Ramil Abdua and Boyet Zozobrado which NCB won 12-8 to seal the match and take home the championship in the category Lower Mix (LMX). NCB reserve player Jess Labanda cheered on his team for the win.
Reem Riviera Resort-Uricane was also in the same situation as RSTP playing the finals on a crippled line-up. But three doubles pairs were everything it needed for them to lift the champions trophy in category C.
First set was won by Ronnie Organo and Nelson Sta. Clara with an 8-6 over a fighting Flexpack pair of Mackoy and Melvin Ates. This was followed by Ramil and Walid Betestil’s 8-4 win against Egay and Arpon in the second set.
A third set default, as planned for Uricane awarded the 8-0 win to Pete and Sonny Galit due to the absence of two Uricane players, Gerardo Catalan and Eusebio “Boy” Castillo with only Joe Espiritu present. In the fourth set, Ronald Mercado and Ricky Salazar shook off a shaky start to subdue the charges of Flexpack’s Roy and Rey Gutlay and win 8-5 to post a 3-1 match score and win the category C title.