Cuevas, Anghag pull off PPS Ozamiz thrillers

Andrei Cuevas and Janmarie Anghag hacked out a pair of three-set victories to share top honors in the 16-and-under division of the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala Ozamiz regional tennis tournament at the City Engineers, Naomis Gardens and SDA tennis courts in Ozamiz City yesterday.

Cuevas rallied from a set down to stun the top seeded Steven Sonsona, 4-6, 6-1, 10-4, then the Tubod, Lanao del Norte bet blasted Mark Malinis in the 18-U finals to emerge the lone double winner in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/COO Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger.

Anghag, on the other hand, blew an opening set lead but recovered in the tiebreak to score a 6-3, 1-6, 10-7 decision over Wyne Paglinawan. She, however, failed to match Cuevas’ feat as she fell to fellow local ace Carmenville Gervacio, 6-4, 6-0, in the 18-U championship.

Rica Labrador, of Sindagan, Zamboganga del Norte, scored a 6-3(ret.) win over Guia Bandolis to clinch the girls’ 14-U title while Judyann Padilla, another rising star from the host province, upended Bandolis, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6, to snatch the 12-U diadem in the five-day event hosted by Ian Villanueva, also the OIC of the Unified Tennis Philippines for Northern Mindanao.

Eric Tangub dominated Lex Estillore, 6-2, 6-2, to pocket the boys’ 14-U crown; Heinz Carbonilla from Maranding, Lanao del Norte, took the 12-U plum with a 6-1, 6-2 romp over Andrei Padao; while Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte’s Vinz AJ Bering routed Kale Villamar, 4-2, 4-1, to nail the 10-unisex title.