BRICE BAISA continued to dominate the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) junior circuit by repelling top seed Vince Serna, 7-6(2), 6-2, in the boys’ 18-under final for another two-title romp in the Imus City National Championship at the Imus/Meadowood courts in Cavite over the weekend.
The rising 16-year-old star from Puerto Princesa City topped his age group as an unranked bet, upending top seed Reign Maravilla in a tight quarterfinal duel, 5-4(6), 5-3, then blasting the Dilao siblings to match his feats in the Iloilo, Roxas City and Bacolod legs of the country’s longest talent-search presented by Dunlop early in the season.
He routed France Dilao, 6-0, 6-2, in the 16-under semis then crushed Frank Dilao, 6-3, 6-1, for the crown.
As second seed in 18-under play, Baisa repeated over France Dilao, 4-2, 4-2, in the quarterfinals, reasserted his mastery of Maravilla, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals before turning back Serna with a mix of everything in the championship.
Young Maristella Torrecampo shared the MVP honors with Baisa with a victory and a runner-up finish in the girls’ side of the Group 2 tournament held under the junior tennis program put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
The Los Baños find ripped Kylie Cautivo, 6-1, 6-0, to run away with the 12-under trophy but yielded to top seed Joy Ansay, who came away with a 6-2, 6-3 victory in the 14-under final of the tournament backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating.
The other winners were Bacoor’s (Cavite) Czarina Ilano and Jana Diaz, General Trias’s Tristan Licayan and Makati City’s Alexandre Coyiuto and Raven Licayan.
Ilano stunned top seed Diaz in the semifinals then held off Jeannieross Barcia from Spain, 6-4, 6-3, to snare the girls’ 18-under title after the latter beat the former, 6-2, 6-3, in the 16-under final; Tristan Licayan foiled Marwin Plata, 6-4, 6-2, for the boys’ 14-under diadem; Alexandre Coyiuto smothered sibling Aaron Coyiuto, 6-1, 6-2, for the 12-under crown; and second seed Raven Licayan repulsed No. 1 Tyronne Caro, 4-2, 5-4(8), for the 10-under unisex plum.
The circuit takes a week-long break with action resuming May 1 to 14 for the Brookside Hills Open in Cainta (Rizal) featuring the Open category (men’s singles and doubles), Juniors Group I and Legends (men’s singles 35-above) and men’s doubles (40 and 50 above).
For details and registration, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.