Top seeds fall in Shell-Telesource Open

The upset axe fell and it went down hard on the top seeds of the singles and mixed doubles division of the 2004 Shell-Telesource Open Tuesday night at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

Top seeds Faheem Ebrahim and Sally Wong, in the mixed open doubles, and Jess Pacheco, in the men’s 4.0, were cut down unexpectedly, making it a wide open race in both divisions.

Ebrahim and Wong bowed out of competition falling to the unseeded pair of Eli Buenaventura and Letty Jones.

The No. 1 seeds were tested right in the opening set when the feisty Buenaventura and steady Jones matched Ebrahim and Wong’s energy and to everyone’s surprise won in a cliffhanger.

Ebrahim and Wong came back in a big way in the second, silencing Buenaventura and Jones with almost clockwork precision and easily forced a third and deciding set.

They appeared headed for an easy win going up 4-1, but Buenaventura and Jones battled back and tied it all up at 5 games apiece but not before Ebrahim and Wong squandered a golden opportunity to finish it.

Ebrahim and Wong were up three break points at love-40, but like they did in the first set, Buenaventura and Jones didn’t give up and tracked down every shot with almost manic desperation and Buenaventura was able to hold serve and knot it all up.

In the next game, Wong held serve to give them a 6-5 advantage but Jones rose up to the challenge and also held her serve and the game had to go into a tiebreak.

Ebrahim and Wong started too aggressively and were in a losing side early down 2-5 in the tiebreak. But Buenaventura and Jones also made their fare share of unforced errors allowing the top seeds to comeback and tie it at 5-5 in the tiebreak.

In the next play, Ebrahim netted an easy overhead to give their opponents a 6-5 advantage. Buenaventura then sliced back to Wong, which she failed to return ending the match 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) for Buenaventura and Jones.

“None of those watching us last night ever thought Letty and I could beat Faheem and Sally. Even Jeff Race was surprised when he learned about it,” Buenaventura said. “Probably it’s just was one of those days when luck was on our side.”

Craig Buboltz, meanwhile, ousted a tuckered out Pacheco in their own semifinal match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Pacheco was up 4-1 in the third set before Buboltz ran down on all the shots Pacheco’s weakening swing could muster and won the next five games.

He now joins veteran chopper and Pacheco’s double partner Tony Santos in the finals.

Bong Gamab also pulled the rug from under Renato “Dodong” Espanola in their men’s 4.5 encounter to score a minor upset. The game was nip and tick all the way with Gamab favoring his leg on the latter part. Fortunately for him he was able to pull off the win in a score of 6-4, 6-4.

Father Ryan Jimenez also kept his immaculate slate in men’s 3.0 stopping 11-year-old Kanani Ashraf’s run 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2.

Daniel Son also had his killer serve working in his match against Jun Villanueva. Son pelted the opposite court with forehand winners and defeated Villanueva 6-3, 6-1.

Buddy Garote and Merle Hudkins also had their way against Jorge Olanda and Vivian Lee 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

Last Sunday, Espanola and Cleofe Santos advanced in mixed 4.0 outlasting the pair of Gary Ramsey and Karren Vuetter 7-5, 6-4.

Shell Marianas and Telesource CNMI is sponsoring the 2004 Shell-Telesource Open, which in turn is being organized by the Filipino-American Tennis Association.

For more information about the 2004 Shell-Telesource Open, please call tournament directors Elmer Guzman at 483-2004 or Alex Martin at 322-1130.