Cebuano Hidalgo shocks top-seed Ong

UNSEEDED Francis Hidalgo of the Pardo Tennis Club rocked the 17th Gullas Cup yesterday when he bundled out Boys 12 top seed Enrico Luis Ong of Manila, 6-1, 6-3, to advance to the semifinal round at the Cebu International Tennis Centre Inc. (CITCI) in Laray, Consolacion, Cebu.

The 12-year-old netter said he did not expect to win against the top-seeded Ong but just banked on his strong backhand and solid retrieving.

“When I learned that he was the top seed I got nervous but I decided to fight for it and focused on my game,” Hidalgo of Pardo Elementary School said.

Hidalgo said he started to feel comfortable when he jumped to a 5-1 lead in the first set. In the second set, Hidalgo took a, 3-1 lead but Ong managed to tie the score at 3-all. However, the Cebuano won the next three games for the upset win.

In the semis, Hidalgo will play Jace Unto while the other semifinal pit Marc Suson against Francis Gener Lambayan.

Suson beat Hervert Nino Sarraga, 6-3, 6-2 while Lambayan routed Henry Samuel Garcia, 6-1, 6-0.

Meanwhile, the Gervacio sisters of Ozamiz advanced to the next round in their respective divisions.

Imaville Gervacio marched to the quarterfinal round of the girls 16 when Thea Deserrie Ceniza defaulted their match.

Carmiville, on the other hand, forged a semifinals duel against Cebu’s Zethley Mae Alferez in the Girls 12 after thrashing Edhel Krizia Parangan, 6-3, 6-2.
Alferez of Bright Academy, advanced via a 6-2, 6-1 trashing of Tricia Francisco.

Both Gervacio sisters also made the semifinal round of the Girls 14 with Imaville battling Cebu’s Jana Pages and Carmiville facing Maimai Ceniza Bornia.

Pages also of Bright Academy, clinched a semifinal ticket by outsmarting Alferez, 6-2, 6-2, while Bornia earned hers by surviving Shyne Villareal, 6-4, 7-6.  /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALIS0N