TENNIS Upsets rock Andrada Cup semis

Upsets rocked the semifinals of the 30th Andrada Cup Age Group Tennis Championships yesterday as unseeded netters stunned their fancied rivals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

John David Velez grabbed the spotlight in the centerpiece boys 18under class when he survived second pic Stefano Gurria, 7-5, 6-3, for a seat in the final round.

The win set up the 14-year-old Velez for a title match against sixth seed Rupert Tortal, who advanced after top seed Jude Hidalgo retired while trailing 4-0.

Exequiel Jucutan also stole the limelight in the boys 14-under with a shocking 6-3, 6-4 triumph over top seed Axl Lajon Gonzaga to forge a championship date with No. 2 Mark Andrei Jarata, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Darwin Cosca Jr.

Chad Cuizon and fourth pick Kean Sebastian Enriquez also beat their higher-ranked foes to arrange a title meeting in the boys 12-under.

The unseeded Cuizon stunned No. 5 Samuel Salazar, 6-0, 6-2 while Enriquez toppled second pick Kriz Roque Lim, 2-6, 6-4, 12-10.

In other matches, top seed Ma Patricia Lim and Justine Mildwaters posted contrasting wins to move into the girls 18-under final.

Lim rose from an opening-set stumble before beating No. 3 Jhastine Red Ballado, 4-6, 6-2, 10-7, while Mildwaters blanked Nina Sandejas, 6-0, 6-0.