Jillian Manangking dominated the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions while Andrei Otoc pulled off a shock win in boys’ 12-U play as they shared MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP Pigcawayan national age-group tennis tournament in Cotabato last Friday.
The top-seeded Manangking mastered Saschena Francisco twice, bagging the premier title with a 6-1, 6-3 romp after posting a 6-4, 6-4 triumph in the 16-U class in the Group 2 tournament wrapping up the Cotabato swing of the country’s longest-talent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala at the Pigcawayan courts.
Earlier, Manangking, from Pikit, Cotabato, ended Dhea Cua’s impressive run of two-title romps, foiling her, 6-0, 1-6, 10-5, in the semis of 16-U play although the Kidapawan City find still kept the 14-U trophy with a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Jannah Mamac.
Divine Collado from Libungan, likewise added the girls’ 12-U trophy to her collection as she turned back top seed Ayessa Gilbang, 6-4, 6-4.
Otoc earlier rallied from a set down to repel top seed Carl Eduarte, 5-7, 6-4, 11-9, and snare the crown after the local bet missed his chances in the 14-U division with a semifinal setback to Iñigo Barrios.
But Johnel Maldo foiled Barrios with a 6-2, 6-0 triumph while fellow Kabacan entry RJ Saldivar finally nailed one after a string of failed bids, thwarting Ben Flores, 6-3, 3-6, 10-5, in the boys’ 16-U finals of the tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Butuan’s Vince Serna lived up to the hype as he trounced Kent Hornada, 6-4, 6-2, to capture the boys’ 18-U diadem in the event presented by Dunlop and backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).
