Pantino, Guarde shine in Cebuana jr netfest

Cebu ace Arthur Craig Pantino stamped his class and came away with three titles to lead the winners in the Ubay, Bohol leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier age-group tennis tournament at the Sto. Niño Tennis Club recently.

Pantino, a member of the Philippine Tennis Academy, overpowered Marawi City’s Duma Hakim Boloto, 6- 0, 6- 1, to clinch the boys’ 16- and- under crown then whipped Auden Aron Paduganan of Misamis Oriental, 6- 3, 6- 1, to bag the 18- U title in the event backed by Dunlop Sports as official ball. He later teamed up with Francis Hidalgo to edge Boloto and Clyde Mari Casino, 8- 7, for the boys’ 18- U doubles diadem.

“His stint in the circuit provides an opportunity to others to play against top caliber players as Pantino has long been training and competing abroad under the PTA which we also support,” said Cebuana Lhuillier president/CEO and Philta chair Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Carlyn Bless Guarde from Sultan Kudarat matched Pantino’s feat in the girls’ side, disposing of Cebu’s Elizabeth Abarquez, 6-3, 6-3, in the 14-U finals and surviving another Cebu find Shynne Villareal, 4-6, 6-1, 11-9, in the 16-U finals.

But Villareal struck back to defeat local bet Dawn Albert Uy, 6-4, 6-3, to snare the 18-U plum in the event that drew 118 entries. Villareal also took the 18-U doubles title in partnership with Abarquez.

Last year’s 10-U champion Brent Sigmond Cortez from Lanao del Sur won the 12-U crown and teamed up with John Sonsona to win the boys’ 14-U doubles plum while Oroquieta City’s Nash Agustines topped the 10-U section with a 4-2, 5-3 romp over Sonsona.

Zamboanga del Norte’s Sydnez Ezra Enriquez routed Noelle Marie Urgello from Cebu City, 6-0, 6-0, to nail the girls’ 14-U title while Vince EJ Tugade of Sultan Kudarat copped the boys’ 14-U crown over Marc Suson.