JEDDAH: After the schedule delays caused by the recent rains in Jeddah, the final cast in different categories has been completed in the 7th ALBAIK Tennis Tournament 2015 at the sprawling courts of Trio Ranch Country Club.

For category C, SOFTC-1 beat ATP-Mon 3-1 to secure its finals berth. Over at category LMX, Deltaz-ASTEC brought down JRTC-Satar with a 2-1 (25-17) to seal its place in the battle for the championship. In the B1 category, Zaitown won against ALBAIK-Astec via points 2-2 (27-23) while in class MMX JRTC-Jimmy was a runaway winner against Zuhair Fayez 2-1 (24-15).

Saudi Oger and Friends Tennis Club eliminated ATP-Mon 3-1 in their category C encounter. Taking the 1st set with an 8-6 win by Fidel Nares and Salem Dalupang against Boy Liwanag and Jun Queno followed by the 8-3 win of Mokthar Al Arabi over Tom Magbuhos in the 2nd set singles gave Oger an early 2-0 advantage. In the 3rd set, team ATP-Mon with Mon Mendoza and Miller Narvas bounced back to defeat Jeorge Luyun and Mark Desal with a blowout 8-1 score and put the match at a statistical tie of 2-1 (17-17) to forge a winner-take-all 4th set. It was a close set but eventually SOFTC-1 prevailed as Nestor Pandac and Rudy Alelis Jr. won 8-6 over Edwin Aquino and Loiue Abalos to bring SOFTC-1 to the finals. They play Saudi Binladen Group-RPDTC-1, which won 2-1 (26-24) earlier against Zuhair Fayez, in the final.

For category LMX, ASTEC’s team Deltaz stymied JRTC-Satar’s journey to the finals after completing a 2-1 (25-17) shutout. ASTEC-Deltaz started hot as Cats Catalan and Jeremy Condrado routed Raldy Sultan and Ryan Sultan 8-3 in the 1st set. Then Marlon Pagsanjan and Jhun Delos Reyes hammered out an 8-5 win over Sohaimi Ismael and Bong Tala in the 2nd set. In the 3rd set Jun Atienza and Ed Forrosuelo lost 6-8 to JRTC’s Joe Rascal and Satar Guro for a score of 2-1 (22-16). In the 4th set ASTEC’s Romy Sorra and Alito Macadat went to an early 3-1 lead which was all that was needed to put ASTEC-Deltaz scores unreachable by JRTC. ASTEC-Deltaz was declared winner and moves to the finals with a final score of 2-1 (25-17). They will face Uricane-Issham Internationl, who beat ATP-Mon 2-1 (23- 20), in the finals.

In MMX category, JRTC-Jimmy broke the backs of Zuhair Fayez as it dominated the 1st set with an 8-2 win by Sammy Macapaar and Sam Tomalondog against Obet Tumale and Cats Catalan for an early boost. Zuhair Fayez bounced back in the 2nd set as Jericho Miranda and Ronald Mercado decisioned Jimmy Sultan and Noor Halil 8-6. In the 3rd set, JRTC-Jimmy put one over its opponent as Noroden Pangcoga and Anuar Laguindab scored an 8-5 win against Nilo Salvedia and Rey Tablang to take a commanding 2-1 (22-15) lead. In the 4th set, JRTC’s Tuffs Laguindab and Alimbsar Umpa needed only to score 2 points and at 2-0, the match was stopped and the victory awarded to JRTC-Jimmy 2-1 (24-15). They now slug it out with early qualifier DP World for the championship crown.

Over at B1 category, Zaitown survived the match against ALBAIK. Zaitown started the 1st set with Mohammed Maalof and Majid Al Kholi who lost 7-8 (tie-break) to Maarouf Pantaran and Jimmy Sultan. They bounced back in the 2nd set singles as MohannadAl Ghamdi routed Alimbsar Umpa with an 8-2 score to tie the score at 1-1. In the 3rd set, ALBAIK with Noor Halil and Sammy Macapaar defeated Saeed Fadel and Belal Al Heraibi with a wide 8-4 margin to put ALBAIK on top 2-1. In the 4th set, Zaitown’s Ibrahim Akeel and Faizan Hanif took matters in their own hands as they raced to an 8-5 win over Tongco Usman and Barra Usman to put the scores at 2-2 (27-23) and the victory for Zaitown. They will next face Red Sea Tennis Players (RSTP) for the championship.