Bahonsua, Manito score twin PPS triumphs

Ellaine Bahonsua and John Manito pulled off a pair of victories each in varying fashions as they shared top honors in the PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala Dumaguete leg regional tennis tournament at the Praxevilla Tennis Courts last Monday.

Bahonsua, 16, wore down Bless Coderos, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6, in the girls’ 18-and-under finals then scored a 7-5, 4-2 (ret.) triumph, also against Coderos, in her age-group to complete her two-title romp in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Manito also needed an extra set to repulse Faith Banico, 2-4, 5-3, 4-2, and snare the 10-unisex crown before the young bet from Pardo, Cebu toppled Lance Orellano, 6-2, 6-1, in the boys’ 12-U finals of the event backed by the Unified Tennis Group, including Cebuana Lhuillier, PPS-PEPP, Wilson, Toby’s, BMeg, Citigreen, Babolat and Tru-Flex.

Three local bets also came away with victories, including unranked Randy Tatoy, who stunned top seed Andre Rodriguez, 1-6, 6-3, 10-7, in the semis then ripped No. 2 Jacob Diago, 6-1, 6-2, to claim the boys’ 14-U crown.

Antonio Bandoquillo, another unseeded bet, also shocked No. 1 Wilfredo Grospe, 4-0, 4-2, in the quarterfinals then beat Rodriguez, 6-2, 6-1, in the 16-U finals of the event hosted by Gov. Roel Degamo in line with Dumaguete’s Buglasan Festival celebration.

Lyka Tatoy also hacked out a shock 6-3, 6-4 victory over top seed Hazel Coderos to snatch the girls’ 14-U diadem in the five-day tournament which served as the 42nd leg of the nationwide, year-long circuit put up by the country’s leading pawnshop and money remittance company.

“These unseeded players’ wins only show that the PPS-PEPP program is working in terms of discovering and producing new faces and fresh talents. They should also inspire the other youngsters to continue aspiring for recognition and ranking points in the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.