De Asis snares Palawan 12-U, 14-U net titles

Kiana De Asis and Luke Flores notched three-set wins in the upset-marred Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis at Lapaz Tennis Club in Iloilo yesterday.

The third-ranked De Asis, who  stunned top-seeded Averille Sacapano in the semifinals, upended No. 2 Ma. Angelica Novis, 7-5,

4-6, 7-5, to snare the girls’ 12-Under crown while Flores wore down Fernando Arguelles Jr., 7-6(5), 6-4, in the boys’ 16-U finals.

De Asis also took the 14-U crown with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Tracy Llamas to emerge the lone double winner in the tournament presented by Technifibre.

“The tournament was indeed a big boost to local tennis here and we thank Palawan Pawnshop,” said Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III.

Local bet and No. 4 Mary Grace Zapanta also snatched the girls’ premier 18-U crown, outlasting top seed Toni Rose Raymundo, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3).

OTHER WINNERS: Karl Baran, boys’ 14-U; Fernando Ceasar, boys’ 12-U; Pete Andre Rodriguez, 10-unisex; Raymundo, boys’ 16-U; Matthew Crisosto, boys’ 18-U