JEDDAH: Team Orange’s Nilo Gamba and Nasser Cayquep collaborated early against Team Red’s Ali Callanta/Fernan Fermin and started on fire with a break serve against Ali Callanta’s service game after a deuce to grab 1-0 in the opening game of the 1st set in the SPTC HeatWave Tennis Challenge.

They tightened up their game with Nasser’s well-placed serves zooming past the Red pair and nailed down the 2nd game almost without resistance at 40-15, to make it 2-0 games lead. In the 3rd frame, the Orange doubles came up swinging with a series of winners on return shots against the serves of Team Red’s Fernan Fermin and finished off the 3rd frame at 15-40 break-serves to thrust their lead at 3-0.

Team Red’s Callanta/Fermin fought back and broke the service game of Team Orange’s Nilo Gamba Jr. in the 5th, game, followed by a successful service game of Ali in the following 6th frame to stay close behind their opponent at 2-3. But the Orange pair Gamba/Cayquep cranked up a counter-winning 2 service games in the following 7th and 8th frames to maintain their 3- point lead at 5-2.

Again Team Red’s Callanta/Fermin refused to be left further behind, then got the better of baseline shot rallies in the next 2 games that shortened the scores gap at 4-5 after a break-serve against Team Orange’s Nilo Gamba Jr. followed by another hold-serves by Team Red’s Ali Callanta. But Nasser Cayquep’s unbroken serves are hard to crack for the Red team, who failed to close the gap after the scores of 5-6 and 6-7. The booming serves of Nasser in the 14th game did it for Team Orange with an 8-6 win.

In the 2nd set, Team Red’s Mario Betorio, held his opening service game with a 40-15 score .Team Oranges’ Bernie Soguilon/Choi Argarin had their way in the next 2 games with a firm hold-serve of Bernie at 40-15 in the 2nd game followed by an easy break-serve at 15-40 against Team Red’s Mario Betorio in the 3rd game. But they had the 2-1 lead too short for comfort, as the tandem of Uly Bartolata/Mario Betorio of Team Red took command from the 4th to 7th games and breaking the service games of the Orange pair twice and held their own serves also twice for a comfortable lead at 5-2.

Team Orange locked with an exchange hold-serve games thereafter, getting as close as 3-5, 4-6, and 4-7 the last, but that was all they could cover as the Red team close match the match with authority at 8-4.

The overall team match-ups ended at 1-1 set, with 3 sets more to play in rescheduled dates.

This tennis tournament is organized by SPTC, with Ben Micu as Tournament Director the other officers of the club, being led in acting capacity, Roy Timtiman (Club vice-chairman for Internal Affairs) and Lito Bentulan (Club Vice-chairman for external Affairs).

The Technical Committee is composed of Jun Tomas, Oca Lovitos, and Vic Rebong.

This in-house tournament is financed by the club, with individual donors such as Corly Obtinalla, who provided the trophies.