Olivarez tennis qualifiers hurdle first round
Qualifiers Francisco Santos, Chat Conta, Martin de Castro, Hakeem Cariga and Joshua Kinaadman bested their respective rivals to reach the second round of the Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque, last Sunday.
Santos wore down Emmanuel Fuellas, 7-5, 2-0 (ret.), and will next face top seed PJ Tierro, who drew a bye, in the next stage of the men’s singles in the annual event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with Tecnifibre as the official ball.
Conta also pulled off a 2-6, 7-6(4) (ret.) win over wild card Gee Abacan to set up a clash with No. 16 RK Barte; De Castro repulsed Kyle Parpan, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5; and will next battle No. 5 Roland Ruel Jr.; Cariga trounced Lawrence Magaway, 6-0, 6-3, to forge a duel with No. 15 Arvin Ruel; and Kinaadman tripped Cenon Gonzales Jr., 7-5, 6-3, to arrange a match with No. 2 Johnny Arcilla.
Wild cards Vande Linde and Romel Openiano also hurdled their first matches with Linde booting out Jacob Martin, 6-0, 6-2, and Openiano holding off Jhun Alcoseba, 7-6(4), 6-4.
Keen competition is also seen in the Open ladies singles of the tournament held in honor of Dr. Pablo Olivarez, one of the founding fathers of local tennis.
Top seed Clarice Patrimonio and No. 2 Edilyn Balanga lead the 32-player cast that also includes Khim Iglupas, Maia Balce, Hannah Espinosa, Christine Patrimonio, Marinel Rudas and Monica Therese Cruz and Rafaella Villanueva.
