Vince EJ Tugade pulled off two hard-earned victories, including the premier boys’ diadem, to emerge the best among the best in the PPS-PEPP Olivarez Open regional age group 2017 on Tuesday at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat.
Tugade toppled No. 2 Klyde Lagarde, 6-2, 6-4, in the semis then upended top seed Marcus del Rosario, 6-4, 6-3, to snare 16-and-under crown. The top junior from Sultan Kudarat then wore down Gabriel Tiamson, 6-4, 7-6(9), to clinch the 18-U title and the MVP plum after posting the lone two-title feat in the Group 1 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.
Other winners in the event put up annually by Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Rep. Eric Olivarez and Dr. Pablo Olivarez as part of their long-time commitment to help in the country’s talent-search were Davao’s Patricia Velez, Gennifer Pagente of Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga’s Sydney Ezra Enriquez, Tiffany Nocos of Cebu, John David Velez of Davao, Agoo, La Union’s Marc Jarata, and Chad Cuizon, also from Cebu.
“Through the years, it has been the commitment of the Olivarez family to develop our players by providing top-notch tournaments like this and we thank Palawan Pawnshop for the support and promotion of Philippine tennis nationwide through its year-long, nationwide circuit,” said Mayor Olivarez.
Patricia Velez bested fellow Davaoeña Danna Abad, 6-3, 6-3, for the girls’ 18-U crown; Pagente also stunning top seed Abad, 6-2, 6-3, for the 16-U title; Enriquez trouncing April Bentillo for the 14-U diadem; and Nocos downing top seed Tenielle Madis, 7-5, 6-2, for the 12-U trophy.