A RECORD number of 196 tennisters from in and outside Cebu are seeing action in the 17th Gullas Cup, which came off wraps yesterday at the Cebu International Tennis Centre Inc. (CITCI) in Laray, Consolacion, Cebu.
Tournament referee Fritz Tabura said this is the first time that the tournament gathered this number of entries.
Cebu netters made an impact on opening day as they advanced to the quarterfinals.
Among them are Caesar Salimbangon and Jairah Camay in the 10-and-under unisex. Salimbangon clinched his quarterfinals ticket by lambasting John Tortontito, 6-1, 6-0, while Camay got his by defeating Carl Manuel Medina, 7-6, 6-4.
Cebuanos who advanced to the final 8 in the girls 16-and-under are Shyne Villareal, Jana Pages, Crissianne Issa Kintanar, and Maimai Ceniza Bornia.
Villareal dismissed Edelweiss Donaire, 6-0, 6-4; Pages routed Sheena Camporedondo, 6-0, 6-0; Kinatanar thrashed Natalie Alipe, 6-3, 6-0; and Bornia demolished Ma. Gabriela Maglahos, 6-1, 6-1.
In the boys 16-and-under, advancing to the second round are brothers Jarryd and Jermaine Laurel, Alfred Yaranon, Francis Pepito, Clyde Bienes, Christopher Encarnacion and Jed Villarin.
Games in the other categories will start today. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON