National Capital Region’s Jerome Romualdez stamped his dominance in the Palawan Pawnshop-OTR regional age-group tennis tournament as he won two titles in different age divisions yesterday at the Consolacion Tennis Courts in Sitio Laray, Consolacion.
Romualdez first showed his might in the 18-Under Boys division of the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association-backed event, as the top-seeded player dominated Bacolod City’s bet and no.2 seed Fernando Jose Arguelles, 6-2, 6-1, to romp off with the crown.
Arguelles, though, will have his chance to get back at Romualdez after the two arranged another championship bout, this time in the Boy’s 16-Under division, which was still being played at presstime yesterday.
Romualdez and Arguelles are also the no.1 and no.2 seeds, respectively, in the 16-Under.
Romualdez secured a seat in the title round in the Boy’s 16-Under division after beating Hong Kong’s Joe McLaren, 6-3, 6-2, in the round of 8, and the latter’s brother, Danny, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals.
The Mclaren siblings, alongside Grace Xu, are among the top-rated players of On The Rise, a leading tennis academy in Hong Kong.
Cebu City’s top bet Jana Pages barged into the championship round of the 18-Under Girls’ division, where she is the top-seeded netter, as the 15-year-old firebrand demolished Claire Lazaga in the semifinals, 6-2, 6-3. She also beat Adriel Culpa, 6-0, 6-0, in round 2.
Pages, the former star of Bright Academy, will be waiting in the final round for the winner between no.2 seed Imaville Gervacio of Ozamiz City and Kristin Renee Salimbangon, who were slugging it out in the semifinals as of press time.
In the Girls’ 16-Under division, Pages’ former teammate at Bright Academy, Zethley Mae Alferez, the no.2 seed, arranged a finals showdown versus Gervacio.
Alferez trampled Kristin Renee Salimbangon in the semis, 6-0, 6-3. The unseeded Gervacio secured her finals seat by demolishing the age group’s top-seed, Pages, 6-3, 4-6, 10-7, in the second round, and no. 3 seed Shyne Villareal, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals.
Anica Giorgia Cari, on the other hand, reigned supreme in the 12-Under Girls division as she booted out Hong Kong’s Xu for the title, while the 10-Under Unisex category was ruled by Diego Dayrit, who eliminated Cesar Salimbangon in the championship match, 6-1, 6-1.
The tandem of sibling Mike and Clyde Bienes took home the plum in the 18-Under Boys doubles match as they spanked the heavyweight pair of Romualdez and Arguelles, 6-4, 6-3, in the finals.
Shyne Villareal and Alferez also came out victorious in the 18-Under Girls doubles as they defeated the Grace Barola/Immaville Gervacio team, 5-7, 7-5, 10-7.
The winners of this tournament, which is hosted by Consolacion Mayor Teresita Alegado, will receive 200 Philta points according to Philta’s Bobby Mangunay.