Guillermo outplays Mates, gains Suarez Open semis

Unheralded Elijah Guillermo displayed top form and hacked out a 6-2, 6-4 victory over second seed Dan Mates to reach the semifinal round of the boys’ premier division in the PPSPEPP Fr. Fernando Suarez Open Championships at the Brent Tennis Center in Biñan, Laguna last weekend.

Guillermo, from Calabarzon, rode on a pair of lopsided triumphs over Gene Zuno (4-0, 4-0) and Jefferson Planilla (4-0, 2-0 ret.) to topple Mates and arrange a Final Four duel with Laurenz Quitara, who gained with a 1-0 ret. win over Stephen Catipon.

Top seed Leyton Portin and No. 4 Jester Ocio forced a clash in the upper bracket with the former thwarting Terrell Arejola, 7-5, 6-3, and the latter holding off Jason Camanting, 6-4, 6-2, in 18-U play of the two-weekend tournament kicking off the second half of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala tennis season.

Lance Fernandez scored a 1-0 ret. victory over injured top seed Exequiel Jucutan to seal a semis duel with No. 4 Allen Rombawa, who foiled Kurt Balela, 3-6, 6-0, 10-1. No. 2 Thomas Bernardo took a 2-6, 5-2 ret. win over Keno Enriquez for a duel with No. 5 Sai Lago, who stopped Ocio, 6-3, 6-1, in the 16-U side of the event held in honor of healing priest Fr. Suarez, a tennis buff.

Bernardo and Lago will dispute one of the final berths in 14-U section after the former turned back Balela, 6-3, 3-6, 103, and the latter trounced Frank Dilao, 6-0, 6-0. Unranked Marcus Guinoo scored a walkover win over Lukas Yupangco to arrange the other semis clash with second seed Joshua Diva, who crushed Jeff Jimenea, 6-2, 6-4.

In girls’ play, top seed Bliss Bayking and No. 2 Denise Bernardo shoot for semis seats against France Idjao and Shedyl Gica, respectively.