SALIMBANGON SHOWS THEM WHY HE’S NO. 1
Cesar Kristofer Salimbangon makes easy work of Alejandro Barrientos to advance to the Boys Under14 semifinal Salimbangon arranges for a semis showdown with Sal Andrei Largo
Cesar Kristofer Salimbangon isn’t top seed in the Boys U14 category for nothing.
The 13-year-old Cebuano tennis rising star just showed Alejandro Barrientos the exit doors following a 6-1, 6-2 win in the quarterfinal round of the Palawan Express Pawnshop Regional Age Group and Festival Open 2017 Juniors Group 2 tennis tournament at the Citigreen Tennis Resort in Mambaling yesterday.
Salimbangon’s win went on to prove that skills, athleticism and consistency beat size, height and genetics as he matched the power strikes of Barrientos with equally strong and, in most cases, well-placed returns to march to the semifinal round.
After quickly winning the first set, Salimbangon traded points with Barrientos at the start of the second set.
However, the consistency and service aces quickly put Salimbangon ahead, 4-1.
Barrientos refused to buck down quickly as he scored two service aces on his way to win the sixth game.
With only two points away from clinching the match, Salimbangon bounced from a 30-0 to score the next four points to make it 5-2.
Barrientos was never the same again and yielded the last game to Salimbangon.
Salimbangon will play fourth seed Sal Andrei Lago in today’s semifinal match.
Lago earlier defeated Paul John Singson, 6- 1, 6- 1, in the first round, Gerald Gemida, 6- 3, 6- 1 in the second round and John Kenneth Tenepre, 6- 4, 7- 5, in the other quarterfinal round while Salimbangon marched to the semifinal round following his walkover win over Buen Giemer Solis, and the 6- 1, 6- 3 win against RV Dator in the second round.
As of press time, Diego Barrientos, the older brother of Alejandro, played a quarterfinal match with Nikhel Nolakha and Eric Louise Longakit faced Khenz Justiniani at the other court.
Salimbangon was also looking to advance in the semifinal round in the Boys U16 category as he played the winner of the Diego Barrientos-Christopher Urdaneta match yesterday.
Vhon Tudtud, meanwhile, advanced to the semifinal round after surviving a thrilling 2-1 win over Vinze Lominoque in the quarterfinal round.
Entering the quarterfinal with a bye and a walkover, Tudtud found Lominoque a tough customer in the entire match.
After winning the first set 6-2, Tudtud found it hard to score against Lominoque in the second, yielding the set 0-6.
Tudtud, however, proved to have steadier nerves as he defeated Lominoque in the deciding set, 11-9.
He will be waiting for the winner of the quarterfinal match between Arvin Toledo and Herbert Nino Sarraga, while the other semifinal pairing is between Reynan Mahusay and Lemuel Garbosa. Both games will be played today.