Five Cebuanos cruise to semis of Tru-Flex net
Five Cebuano netters grabbed semifinal tickets in their respective categories as the 14th Tru-Flex National Age Group enters its fourth day today in four venues in Lapu-Lapu City.
The semifinalists is led by Jana Pages in the 16 & Under girls after she booted out fellow Cebuano Zethley Mae Alferez, 6-4, 6-3. She will go for a finals slot against Cagayan de Oro’s Roxanne Mae Resma, who bested Rafaella Villanueva, 6-0, 6-0.
However, Pages was not as lucky in the 18 & Under girls after bowing to Iligan’s Khim Iglupas, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6.
After winning the first set, Pages, who had come from a six-week layoff to rehabilitate an injured right knee, scored the first point in the second set but Iglupas recovered from a sluggish start to break Pages twice and surge to a 5-1 lead.
The 14 years old Cebuana won two straight games but eventually allowed Iglupas to force a third set.
Both netters exchanged leads in the third set until Iglupas held serve to go up, 5-4. She then survived four deuces to break Pages in the 10th game for the hard-earned win.
Iglupas and Resma are part of the Philippine Junior Federation Cup team.
Other Cebuanos advancing to the semifinal round are Alferez, Shyne Villareal, Marc Norman Enriquez and Changmai Necessario.
Alferez barged into the semifinals of the 14 & Under girls with a 6-1, 6-1 thrashing of fellow Cebuano Kristin Renee Salimbangon while Villareal routed Manila’s Maxine Martin, 6-1, 6-0.
Enriquez, for his part, arranged a semifinals duel with fellow Cebuano Necessario in the 18 & Under boys division.
Enriquez outwitted Dave Sebastian Mosqueda, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), while Necessario dismissed Bais’ Justine Jay Cabano, 6-1, 6-1.
Matches will continue today in all four venues with 10 & Under Unisex, 12 & Under boys and girls at the Lapu-Lapu Tennis Court; 14 & Under and 16 & Under boys at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Airbase tennis court; Haruhay Dream Resort for the 16 and 18 & Under girls and Amores tennis court in barangay Gun-ob for the 14 & Under girls and 18 & Under boys.
