Jose Palo, Dhea Cua and two others set out to sustain their title runs at home against their regional rivals in the PPS-PEPP President’s Cup national age-group tennis tournament, which got going over the weekend in Kidapawan City in Cotabato.
Palo and Cua shared the MVP honors with two victories each in the 14- and 16-U divisions in last week’s Kabacan stop of the Mindanao swing of the country’s longest talent-search although they face stiff challenge from a slew of bidders out to spoil their bids in a full-packed field at the Kidapawan City courts.
In fact, Cua, the top seed in girls’ 14-U, is disputing the last 16-U slot against Keena Villaraiz in a qualifier at presstime.
Meanwhile, action in the Dunlop-presented ranking circuit, shifts to Pigcawayan, also in Cotabato, on June 1-5.
Palo, also the top ranked player in 14-U, hopes to draw inspiration from the local crowd as braces for a duel with either Inigo Barrios, Cian Ramirez, Rafa Ubag, Yusuf Maldo or Nathaniel Bolocboloc. He will also have his hands full to get another shot at the 16-U diadem against top seed RJ Saldivar, whom he upended in Kabacan.
Joaquin Palo, meanwhile, tries to make it back-to-back in boys’ 18-U play, which also features Saldivar, Joshua Rayray, Derek Napala, Aiki Abasalo, Ben Flores and Pete Cua, while Carl Eduarte gears up for a showdown with Rafa Ubag, Jelord Entoma, Francis Florida or Rey Templa for the 12-U crown in the Group 2 tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Unranked Sanschena Francisco of Sultan Kudarat also seeks to prove her worth in girls’ 18-U side which she ruled last week although the likes of top seed Juliana Carvajal, No. 2 Kyle Sonza and Chelsea Bernaldez have vowed to stop her surge.
Divine Collado from Libungan, Cotabato, also eyes another crown in the girls’ 12-U side headlined by Ayeesa Gilbang and Jhuane Flores with Princess Obaniana, Faye Arce, Kate Florida and Daneea Sinsuat joining the hunt for title and ranking points in the four-day tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines.
