Rookie JD Velez pulled through, lifting Ateneo de Manila University to a second straight win in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Tennis Tournament, taking a 3-2 win over University of the East on Wednesday at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
Velez, a 21-year-old freshman from Ormoc City, needed a huge fightback after absorbing a devastating love set in the first.
He then had to avert a meltdown in the third to pull off the clincher in the third singles match against Marc Suson, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.
“I lost several key players from last season, but I got new ones, which is a good thing,” said Ateneo head coach Gee Abacan.
“Kapag kalaban talaga namin UE, it’s always been 3-2, not 4-1 nor 5-0; pahirapan talaga. Happy ako na napanalo ni Velez because imagine 6-0 sa first set at nagka-cramps na siya.”
Suson, the Red Warriors’ top singles player, extricated himself from a deep 5-1 hole and capitalized on the nerves of the rookie to threaten to pull the rag off the latter.
The 23-year-old standout from San Beda University even led 0-30 in the 11th game, but Velez eventually found his mark to stop the run.
Ateneo moved to a share of the lead in the standings at 2-0 with University of Santo Tomas, pushing UE into third place with this first loss at 2-1.
The Blue Eagles took the 2-0 advantage in the tie after Noy Seno took down Jarell Edangga, 6-2, 6-4, and Nio Tria and Axl Gonzaga got one past Dawson Ormoc and RJ Singson, 7-6(7), 6-2.
Romeo Largo Jr. put the Red Warriors on the board with a 6-3, 6-2 clinic past Austin Delos Santos in the second singles match.
Then Kent Morales and RJ Baje bucked the gritty comeback of JJ Llavore and Stef Gurria, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(7).
Reigning champion UST carved out a 4-1 rout of University of the Philippines for the side’s second consecutive win of the season with Season 85 MVP Nilo Ledama clinching the win past rookie Andrei Jarata, 6-2, 6-3.
Ericjay Tangub bagged the opening singles rubber for the Male Tennisters against Zire Mina, 6-0, 6-2, even as Loucas Fernandez took one for the Fighting Maroons over Brent Cortes, 6-3, 6-2.
The titleholders from España swept both doubles matches to set up the win. Richard Bautista and Vince Sereno turned back Karl Miguel and Jonas Silva, 7-5, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Steven Sonsona and Symon Jaculan dominated Rafael Liangco and Hakim Boloto, 6-2, 6-3.
On the other hand, De La Salle University plucked its first win of the season against Adamson University, 4-1, thanks to a rousing win from captain EJ Geluz against Jerald Delos Santos, 6-4, 6-0 in the third singles match.
The Fighting Maroons and the Green Tennisters are tied for fifth to sixth places at 1-2, while AdU slipped to 0-3.
