Tinian netters, women’s top seeds take diadems

Sunday belonged to tennis players hailing from Tinian as two doubles teams from the island just south of Saipan boarded the Tinian Express back home clutching precious championship trophies from the 2nd Annual Toyota Tennis Tournament.

Joe San Nicolas and Budoy Mocorro defeated Archie Montecillo and Edwin Mocorro 7-5, 6-3 in an all-Tinian final in the men’s 3.0 at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

“We’re just proud to represent Tinian and do well in this tournament. We know each other and we know each others’ moves. I think we won’t be playing 4.0 again after this,” said San Nicolas after the match, which also saw two brothers contesting the championship.

The Morocco brothers, however, vowed before the championship that they will not let family ties get in the way of helping their teammates win the men’s 3.0.

“No brother, brother in this contest,” said Budoy, which was immediately echoed by Edwin.

“It was both fun and difficult because they’re both good and it was just a matter of working well as a team. We won because we knew what to do and executed well at the end,” added San Nicolas.

In the semis played the same evening San Nicolas and Mocorro defeated Feel Kalen and Keith Gabaldon 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Montecillo and Mocorro had a far easier time beating Ruben Leynes and MacDuffy Llaban 6-2, 6-3.

Linda Decena and Emily Cuan equaled the Tinian men’s triumph by also going all the way in the women’s 3.0, turning back the Saipan pair of Vangie Espanola and Mia Jones in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.

Overshadowed somewhat by Tinian’s sweep of the 3.0 divisions was the victory of Kazumi Imai and Yuko Kobayashi in the women’s open final the same evening.

The unbeatable pair, top seeds in virtually all tournaments they join, turned back Young Son and Letty Jones 6-3, 7-5.

“It was difficult. They played well. Mrs. Son was good but Letty was a little bit off because she was coming back from vacation. Playing against very experienced opponents we didn’t want to go into a third set because playing two sets already took us two hours,” said Imai.

Son said it has always been a struggle going up against Kazumi and Kobayashi. “We couldn’t control Kazumi’s high volley and Yuko is always consistent. We wanted to make it to three sets but it was very difficult.”

In other results, the fire-and-ice duo of Lito Cabrera and Nicolas Son forged a finals appearance in the men’s 4.5 with an easy 6-1, 6-3 conquest of Ronnie Lacbayo and Bong Gamab.

They will contest the finals Wednesday with the winner of the semis match between Richard Asuncion and Gerald Narciso and youth netters Gabaldon and Ji Hoon Heo.

The championship round of the men’s 4.0, meanwhile, will pit Buddy Garote and Hector Gutierrez against Art Lopez and Romy “Colonel” Sotto.

Garote and Gutierrez came back from a 0-3 deficit in the first set and survived a late charge from Asuncion and Johnny Johnson, down 1-5 in the second, to win 6-4, 6-4.

Lopez and Sotto, for their part, dropped the first set before taking advantage of an injury to tennis ace Boyet Minor to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Minor’s partner was Kalen.

In the men’s 2.0, Orly De Leon and Roy Ocanado advanced to the championship after dismissing Abner Venus and Bobby Nato in three tightly fought sets 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-2.

Ayumi Cajigan and Merle Hudkins also booked a finals seat following their 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Nelia Luna and Dinalette Jones in the women’s 4.0.

The finals of the men’s open will be contested tonight with Peter Loyola and Heo taking on last year’s runner-up Cabrera and Daniel Son.