Anasta beats Tierro to win singles title

VICENTE ANASTA utilized his experience and power game to down PJ Tierro, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(9), and win the men’s Open singles title in the second Olivarez-Philta Open Tennis Championships presented by Palawan Pawnshop Express Pera Padala at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat late Sunday.

The third-seeded Anasta pulled through in a tight first set duel by breaking Tierro in the 10th game then kept pounding a variety of shots to scuttle his rival and broke again in the sixth game of the second set to go 2-0.

Tierro, who stopped Fil-Italian Marc Reyes in the semis, tried to stay in the best-of-five finals by holding his ground in the third but just couldn’t stop the 29-year-old Army bet after saving three match points, enabling Anasta to wrap up the match and the crown.

The victory capped Anasta’s sterling campaign in the that saw him stroll past his first two opponents. He then outlasted Leander Lazaro, 6-4, 7-5, in the third round before stopping giant-killer Joseph Victorino, 6-1, 6-1, in the quarters.

Ranged against fancied former Australian Juniors doubles champion Francis Casey Alcantara in the Final Four, Anasta didn’t flinch, pulling off an equally thrilling 7-6(4), 6-4 victory to gain a crack at the crown. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio