Singles move into quarters
The 2nd Annual Toyota Tennis Tournament resumed at the American Memorial Park tennis courts Saturday after its schedule the night before was completely wiped out by rain showers.
Seven players in the men’s category, while one in the women’s moved into the quarterfinals, even as Lucita Pasana made an amazing comeback to reach the finals of the women’s open.
Youth netters Nicolas Son and Johnny Johnson are in the Final Four of the men’s open after beating separate opponents. Son dispatched Ed Johnson 6-3, 6-2, while Johnson upset Richard Asuncion 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Nanding Cajigan is the first player in the men’s 4.5 to reach the quarters following his 6-2, 6-3 triumph against Ganover Rettin.
Also in the same boat are tourney-surprise Art Encarnacion, Michael Robert, and Jorge Olanda in the men’s 4.0. Encarnacion got his quarterfinals tickets with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Hector Benitez, while Olanda and Robert defeated John Wayne Kentaro, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), and Ricky Castro, 6-4, 6-1, respectively.
Leynes had the easiest outing of the seven, as he advanced to the Final Four of the men’s 3.0 with a walkover win against Noel Manalo.
Sadako Arriola, for her part, reached the quarters of the women’s 3.0 after registering a 6-1, 6-3 conquest of Sue Reyes.
Pasana, meanwhile, fought off cramps and a bad fall to turn back teenage sensation Vivian Lee 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. Mia Jones is also in the finals of the women’s 2.0 after her opponent Jennifer Oltuano begged off from the competition.
Mixed doubles play saw Jack McClure and Sally Wong eliminate Buddy Garote and Nelia Luna 6-4, 6-4 in 5.0, Dino Jones and Delia Johnson defeat Alfredo Quiroz and Pasana 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in 4.0, and Ramon Angeles and Leriza Debrum beat husband-and-wife Tim and Melanie Bellas 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
