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Seven pairs advance in Taga Tennis
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Posted on Dec 11 2005
The doubles division of the 3rd Taga Tennis Tournament went into full swing Saturday with seven pairs advancing closer to the finals at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.
Retired Hopwood Junior High School principal Tony Santos and current San Vicente Elementary School teacher Reo Arriola played beautiful music together and upended the pair of Hector Benitez and Buddy Garote surprisingly in straight sets.
The 6-2, 6-2 win shoved the educators safely into the quarterfinals of the men’s 4.0 event.
In the women’s open, veterans Delia Johnson and Sally Wong dropped the first set but got back on tormentors Nelia Luna and Vangie Espanola in the second and third sets to win in comeback fashion 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Roy Pangelinan and Ed Johnson, meanwhile, booked a finals appearance in the Over-100 category after the duo go the better of Tinian’s Sonny Decena and Saipan’s Feel Calen, 6-2, 6-0.
Both men’s 3.0 action on Saturday featured heated contests with the two matches needing a third and final set to determine the winner.
Xu Jun and Diony Peralta had a roller coaster ride against Calen and Noel Manalang, as the two won the first set only to drop the second before prevailing in the third for a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 triumph.
Ed Casing and Jaime Hagos also took the same route in their 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Boy Cruz and Orly De Leon.
In the lone men’s 2.0 game Saturday, Das Narayanan and tower Bobby Nato defeated Aldrin Sta. Ana and De Leon to advance to the semis.
In related news, organization Saipan Tennis Association handed over $600 to the widow of avid tennis player and STA member Berman Higgins, who collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack days prior to the start of the Pepsi, Miller Lite, and Telesource CNMI-sponsored event.
The tournament will conclude with an awards banquet/Christmas Party on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Hot City Disco, San Jose, where another sponsor, Ocean Palace Shark’s Fin Seafood Restaurant, will be providing some of the dishes.
