Lazaro stuns Tierro in ‘Tuna Fest’
Leander Lazaro finally ended the winning streak of Patrick John Tierro with a 7-5, 6-1 win and arranged a title clash with Johnny Arcilla in the Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Tuna Festival Open Tennis Championship at the Gen. Santos City Tennis Club in Gen. Santos City yesterday.
The former National University standout leaned on his solid baseline game to score the biggest win of his career since helping the Bulldogs win their fourth straight UAAP championship early this year.
Lazaro’s win also ended the second ranked Tierro’s quest for a three straight championship after sweeping Arcilla in the two PCA Open events recently.
Lazaro, a former two-time UAAP MVP and rookie of the year, took the next two points after Tierro forced a deuce in the 11th game to hold serve then surprised the latter in the next to break and win the opening frame.
Tierro never recovered from that setback as Lazaro broke the former again via a shut-out in the second game of the second set then won the next three games to go 5-0 before Tierro broke the slump and held serve and Lazaro rattled off four straight points to clinch the set and the match.
The 23-year-old ace from Malabon, who reached the quarters of the recent Olivarez Cup, hopes to complete his remarkable campaign when he takes on Arcilla at 1 p.m. today (Saturday).
The top seeded Arcilla held sway to frustrate No. 4 Ronard Joven, 6-4, 6-2, in the other semis match of the event sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.
Meanwhile, No. 1 Clarice Patrimonio gets a chance for a payback as she trounced Shaira Rivera, 6-4, 6-1, in the ladies semis of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger, the official ball.