Enriquez resumes hunt

Sydney Enriquez hopes to flash top form coming off a break as she shoots for another two-title sweep in the PPS-PEPP Cotabato City national age group tennis tournament, which gets going today at the Cotabato City Tennis Society courts.

The Palarong Pambansa champion, however, expects to have her hands full this week.

Close to 200 players are vying for top honors in various divisions in the Group 2 tournament that has a novel 8-unisex division to accommodate the kids wanting to get a feel of tournament play.

But focus will still be on the 16-year-old Enriquez, the star from Salug, Zamboanga del Norte, who has dominated her age bracket and the premier 18-and-under category in the Gen. Santos City, Kidapawan, Ozamis, Tangub, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental stops of the nationwide circuit.

The Palarong Pambansa champion, however, expects to have her hands full this week against the likes of Judy Ann Padilla, Mae Gulagula and Teya Quinanola with Zkyla Cervantes, Joanne Gornez, Shiela Balinas and Jlo Ramirez joining the title chase in 18-U play.

Keen competition is also seen in the boys’ 18-U side headlined by Eric Jay Tangub, Nilo Ledama, Steve Aton and Kris Espinoza with Tangub and Espinoza also leading the 16-U roster that includes Aslan Carbonilla and Rene Lagamon.

Carbonilla, on the other hand, gains the top seeding in 14-U class that also drew the likes of Armando Saldivar, Jason Flores, Wayne Jumawan and AJ Bering with Padilla, Gulagula, Alyssa Dino and Marie Josue topbilling the girls’ 14-U cast.

Pete Bandala, Jairez Ramirez, Yusuf Maldo and Inigo Barros loom as the players to beat in 10-unisex with Bandala also vying in the boys’ 12-U category along with Bering, Jumawan and Saldivar with Marilyn Mesiona and Dyan Natano set to dispute the girls’ 12-U diadem.