JEDDAH: ALBAIK Food Systems Inc. Ltd. and organizer Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (ASTEC) launched the most awaited tennis tournament in Jeddah during the weekend at the Trio Ranch Country Club.

The opening ceremony of the tournament dubbed 7th ALBAIK Tennis Tournament 2015 was well attended and attracted more than 50 team entries in both the men’s and women’s division.

Vice-consul Rodney L. Sumague of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah was the chief guest. Also present were representatives from the event main sponsor ALBAIK Food Systems led by PR Manager Bassam Al Seyofi, Branch Manager Ed Cabiedes and Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator Mazza Farajallah.

The event proper started with the presentation and parade of all participating teams. An intermission number was provided by the group Knight Movers KSA who wowed the crowd with their dancing skills. Special awards were given to teams with the best uniforms with team ATP-Mon bagging three best uniform awards for their teams in Categories C, B2 and LMX. For the MMX Category the award was given to team SOFTC (Saudi Oger Friends Tennis Club). In the Women’s Division, team Bavaria Taif Tennis (sponsored by Quality Trading Company) bagged the LMX plaque while Team Uricane was the winner in the HMX category. Special gifts and prizes were also raffled off to lucky spectators.

An exhibition match was played between the top Filipino player in the Kingdom Rico Gonzales and former ATP circuit player from Spain Andros Gallego, which had the audience on the edge of their seats as both held serve up to the score of 8-8. Then Gonzales broke Gallego’s serve to forge ahead 9-8 and eventually win the match 10-8 by holding his serve.

The first official match was played in the Women’s Division HMX category between team Bavaria Taif and team Uricane. Uricane with the pair of Dena Aquino and Beng Tumale easily surged to the lead and went on to win the 1st set from Lovely Berras and Mary Grace Tango on a score of 8-4. In the 2nd set, Team Uricane sent partners Joy Siongco and Tracy Atienza against Bavaria Taif’s Dudz Villanueva and Chrisanel Duano. It was a tight contest with neither pair giving in until the scores reached 6-6 when Bavaria Taif’s player Chrisanel Duano started to have leg cramps which slowed her down enabling Uricane to grab the lead at 7-6. Bavaria battled in the next game and leveled at 7-7 to force a tie-break. Bavaria Taif’s pair fought valiantly to lead 4-1 in the tie-break and brought the lead to 6-3 but could not sustain their game to close the match. This enabled team Uricane to level the score at 6-6 and finally nailed two more points to end the game at 8-6 and take the 2nd set and the match with 2 wins. 3rd set was won by Bavaria Taif’s duo of Rosan Buihon and Nita Molina at 8-6 over Uricane’s Amor Idjao and Julie Ramos to post the final tally of 2-1 for team Uricane.

Organized by Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (ASTEC) under the helm of its current chairman Bernie Soguilon and Tournament Director Tonton Pana, this 28th ASTEC team tennis tournament is presented in partnership with ALBAIK Food Systems Co. Ltd. represented by Bassam Al-Seyofi (PR-manager), Ed Cabiedes (branch manager) and Mazza Farajallah (Corporate Social Responsibility coordinator) and is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop), Sky Freight Forwarders and Pepsi Cola.