Renelle Criscini and Aldrin Geluz pulled off a double victory in the PPS-PEPP Legends tennis series, sweeping the 40s and 50s crowns in the Rep. Alonte-Naguiat Championships at the Brent Tennis Center in Binan, Laguna, over the weekend.
Criscini and Geluz toppled Roy Tan and Expedito Lim, 8-2, in the 40s division finals, then turned back Jun Pomer and Mike Sotingco, 8-4, to clinch the 50s trophy and complete a two-title romp in the event held side by side with the national juniors.
On their way to the 40s final, the Criscini-Geluz tandem repelled Jeg Vallido and Sherwin Ordones, 8-5, then crushed Jim Rellona and Justino Buendia, 8-1, and sustained their charge in the 50s, ripping Julius Villavelez and Leovy Mercado, 8-1, and routing Noel Lontok and Bugsy delos Reyes, 8-2.
JD Benitez and Danny Olosim, on the other hand, grabbed the 30s title with a tough 8-6 victory over 40s finalists Tan and Lim. Benitez and Olosim earlier outlasted Gene Angcao and Marlon Barbo, 8-5, and survived Topie Uy and Bryan Saarenas, 8-6.
Arabie Agero and Tracy Bautista, meanwhile, pocketed the lone women’s doubles trophy in the tournament presented by Dunlop and sponsored by Rep. Marlyn Alonte-Naguiat with an 8-2 romp over Brasilla Uy and Joanna Tan.
In juniors play, top seed Jana Diaz and No. 3 Sandra Bautista posted contrasting wins to seal a showdown for the girls’ 18-U crown, with the former blasting Shaira Silva, 6-0, 6-0, and the latter upending second seed Chloe Mercado, 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.
Diaz and Bautista will also dispute the 16-U crown after the former put away Alexie Jarata, 6-1, 6-1, and the latter foiling Mercado in another tight duel, 3-6, 7-6(3), 10-4.
No. 4 Ariel Cabaral likewise stunned top seed Vince Serna in the boys’ premier division, carving out a 6-2, 6-3 win for a crack at the title against No. 2 John Kendrick Bona, who got past Kale Villamar, 6-2, 6-0.
Other finalists in the Group I tournament, which drew a record field of 272 and held as part of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, are Bona and Al Tristan Licayan (boys’ 16), Joy Ansay and Maristella Torrecampo (girls’ 14), Licayan and Lexious Cruz (boys’ 14), Torrecampo and Alexa Cruspero (girls’ 12), Jan Caleb Villeno and Marben Alimarin, Jr. (boys’ 12), and Villeno and Raven Licayan (10-unisex).
