ARCILLA, IGLUPAS SHARE ALBAY OPEN HONORS

Veteran Johnny Arcilla tripped Noel Damian, 6-2, 6-4, to nail another men’s crown while Khim Iglupas rallied past Christine Patrimonio, 6-4, 76(6), to snare the women’s title in the first Albay National Open at Lignon Hills Tennis Club in Bicol Saturday.

The 37-year-old Arcilla used his power and experience to overwhelm Damian, breaking his eighth-ranked rival right in the first game then in the seventh. Damian, 20, held his ground in the first six games of the second but yielded the marathon seventh game before the duo held serves the rest of the way.

Arcilla dropped just four games on his way to the finals, crushing Fritz Verdad, 6-0, 6-0, in the semifinals, while Damian tamedNo. 5 Eric Jed Olivarez, 6-1, 6-4, to earn a crack at the crown in the P250,000 event hosted by Gov. Al Francis Bichara through Lignon Hills Tennis Club president Nards Gonzales.