Martinez, Velez Palawan-Digos netfest champs

JYLE Cyrin Martinez lived up to hype as he downed unranked Klyde Lagarde, 61, 6-1, to capture the crown in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group presented by Technifibre at Digos City Tennis Club in Davao del Sur yesterday.

Martinez’s final round romp capped his domination of the boys’ 14-and-under division that saw him drop just four games in four matches and deliver the lone victory by a local bet in the four-day Group 3 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop.

The Davao bets stamped their class in the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with Patricia Velez racking up two victories for the second straight week to re-stake her claim as one of the country’s rising players in the distaff side of the country’s biggest ranking junior tournament.

Velez, who pulled off a pair of tough wins to clinch the 16- and 18-U plums in the circuit’s Isulan leg in Sultan Kudarat last week, duplicated the feat as she cruised to a 6-4 (ret.) win in the 16-U class and trounced Clarizza Caorte, 6-3, 6-1, in the premier 18-U category.

Other Davaoeño winners were third seed Danna Abad, who upended top seed April Minette Bentillo, 6-1, 6-0, in the 14-U finals; No. 2 Stephen Tubbs, who survived a second set scare to complete a 6-0, 7-5 reversal over top ranked Jefferson Alqueza; No. 1 John David Velez, who crushed fellow Davaoeño and second seed Kenny Andre Sing, 6-2, 6-3, for the boys’ 12-U diadem.

“Although the Davao players took most of the titles, the number of reversals only underscored the level playing field which continues to inspire and motivate us to put up more tournaments for our youth, especially in the countryside where there are so many untapped talents,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.