IGLUPAS, CAPADOCIA SEAL PINTAFLORES OPEN CLASH
KHIM IGLUPAS sustained her top form and came away with a 1- 0 ( ret.) win over Shaira Rivera to arrange a showdown for the women’s crown with Marian Capadocia in the Palawan Pawnshop- Palawan Express Pera Padala Pintaflores Open Tennis Championship at the Sacata Tennis Club in Negros Occidental yesterday.
The second seeded Iglupas used her power and experience to demolish Yasthyme Rivera, 6- 1, 6- 0, and Janelle Llavore, 6- 1, 6- 2, then the Iligan City ace made short work of Shaira Rivera to gain a crack at the championship in the event hosted by Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. and the local government units of San Carlos City.
No. 3 Marian Capadocia cashed in on the early ouster of top seed Clarice Patrimonio to clinch the other finals berth with a 6-2, 6-2 romp over Elsie Abarquez, who stopped Patrimonio’s tormentor, 6-2, 6-1, in the quarterfinal round of the tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines headed by OIC Criston Carmona and backed by Vice Mayor Rene Gustilo, Julio Ledesma IV and Vice Gov. Bong Lacson.
Top seed Jason Patrombon and No. 2 PJ Tierro stayed on title collision course in the men’s side as they trampled their respective rivals to lead the Final Four cast in the event serving as part of the host city’s Pintaflores Festival celebrations and supported by Palawan Pawnshop led by president/ CEO Bobby Castro and Slazenger.
Patrombon eased out Jimmy Tangalin, 6-3, 6-1, for a semis face-off with John Bryan Otico, who upset No. 3 Fritz Verdad, 6-1, 6-2, while Tierro overpowered Jose Maria Pague, 6-3, 62, in the lower half of the 32man draw to seal a Final Four clash with No. 4 Vicente Anasta, who held off Marcen Gonzales, 7-6(5), 6-3.
The men’s semifinals were being played at presstime with the winners clashing for the top P30,000 purse. The women’s champion will receive P20,000, according to PPS-PEPP sports program development director Bobby Mangunay.
The Open also caps a twoweek tennis festival that included an age-group tournament last week with John David Velez of Davao and Alexa Milliam of La Carlota sharing MVP honors after posting two victories each.