Pantino, Seno clash in 14-U semis of Henry Lee tourney

CEBUANO TEAMMATES Arthur Craig “Igi” Diaz Pantino and Jan Godfrey Seno arranged a semifinals showdown in the boys 14-under of the 4th Henry Lee Memorial Age-Group Tennis Championships as they dismissed their respective quarterfinals opponent yesterday at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.

Pantino, seeded third in the category, advanced first to the semifinals after blanking sixth-seed Mimo Tomacruz, 6-0, 6-0.

Seno kept his chances in the tournament alive by surviving ninth-seed Chris Justine Prulla, 6-4, 6-4, in the quarterfinals.

Both netters are from the University of San Carlos. They are also part of the Central Visayas delegation competing in next month’s Palarong Pambansa in Pangasinan.

With Seno bowing out of the 16-under, Pantino remained as the sole Cebuano standing in the category as he advanced to the quarterfinal round.

He will have his hands full as he arranged a final 8 battle against top-seed Lance Canizares, who defeating Ralph Fernandez, 4-1, 5-3.

Another Cebuano who also entered the quarterfinals was Kristin Renee Salimbangon, who will face Jeanlijah Sagandoy.

She grabbed a quarterfinals ticket in the girls 12-under after forcing a super tiebreak on Maxine Martin, 2-1, 4-0 (10-3), in the third round.

Salimbangon, however, was not as successful in the 14-under as she lost to Dominique Ong, 1-4, 1-4, in the third round.

The tournament is a Group 2 Philippine Tennis Association-sanctioned event. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON