Cocoy bags 2 net titles

Jufe Ann Cocoy survived a pair of semifinal scares then dominated her rivals in the finals to complete a title double in the PPS-PEPP Bacolod regional age-group tennis tournament at the Centercourt and Panaad Tennis Courts recently.

The second-seed Cocoy wore down Faith Banico, 4-6, 6-1, 10-4, in the Final Four then toppled Nicole Villar, 6-3, 6-2, to clinch the girls’ 14-and-under title. As an unranked player in the 16-U play, the rising La Carlota star shocked top seed Kiana De Asis, 7-5, 2-6, 10-6, in the semis then ripped Villar again, 6-2, 6-3, to emerge the lone “double” winner in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and presented by Dunlop.

Third seed Fernando Po turned back sibling Alekzander Po, 5-7, 6-1, 10-4, to pocket the 16-U plum and the MVP honors in the boys’ side of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

Cocoy actually made it a three-title feat as she teamed up with Jasmin Jaran to beat Ma. Petrina Aguirre and Banico, 8-5, for the 14-U doubles title.

“Week after week emerges new faces and this is what the PPS-PEPP circuit is all about – produce as many talents who could be tapped, developed and trained to become future members of national pool and teams,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Only two top picks went on to rule their respective divisions, underscoring the level playing field in the busy summer tour of the PPSPEPP, including Khenz Justiniani, also from La Carlota, in the boys’ 14-U category and Louise Paliwag from Tayasan, Negros, in the 10unisex class.