Sydney Enriquez and Eric Tangub lived up to the hype as they nailed two titles each to clinch the MVP honors and lead the Zamboangeños romp in the PPS-PEPP President R. Barrios Cup national age group tennis circuit at the Kidapawan City Tennis Club in Cotabato yesterday.
Enriquez, from Salug, Zambo del Norte, reigned in the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions, posting a pair of 6-0, 6-0 victories over May Torrecareon and doubles partner Zkyla Cervantes, respectively, while Tangub, from Tukuran, Zambo del Sur, thumped Reyman Saldivar Jr., 6-1, 6-2, and Brent Magno, 6-0, 6-2, to claim the boys’ 16- and 18-U titles in the Group 2 event presented by Dunlop.
Other winners in the fourth of the six-leg Mindanao swing of the nationwide circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro were Kabacan, Cotabato’s Jairo Ramirez (10-unisex), Josh Cabanting (boys’ 12-U), Ysay Ysulat (girls’ 14-U) and Saldivar (boys’ 14-U) and Sindangan, Zamboanga’s Rose Mesiona (girls’ 12-U).
The second seeded Ramirez foiled No. 1 Yusuf Maldo, 2-4, 4-2, 4-1; Cabanting upset top seed Ben Flores, 4-2, 4-2, in the quarters then outlasted Ramirez, 6-4, 4-6, 10-8, in the finals; Ysulat ripped Zheta Saldivar, 6-1, 6-2; Saldivar crushed Yassan Al Anazi, 6-1, 6-3; and Mesiona beat Jeanne Rayray, 6-1, 6-2.
Enriquez actually made it three-for-three as she and Cervantes routed Puline Binoya and Joanne Gornes, 8-0, to claim the doubles 18-U plum with Eric Comendador and Magno edging Tangub and JV Comendador, 8-6, in the boys’ final.
Ysulat and Khirylle Saldivar took the girls’ doubles 14-U title with an 8-1 romp over Maia Aton and Alyssa Ramirez while Josh Cabanting and Reyman Saldivar Jr. nipped Al Anazi and Justine Niegas, 8-7(3) in the boys’ championship. Joanel Maldo and Jairo Ramirez pocketed the 10-U doubles diadem with an 8-0 rout of Inigo Barrios and Mesiona.
