INQUIRER Sports

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD JURENCE ZOSIMO Mendoza drubbed Mao Delos Reyes, 6-1,
6-2, Thursday to barge into the finals of the 16-under category of the 28th Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open tennis championships.

Mendoza, one of the emerging talents from Subic, flashed his usual attacking style to dispose of Delos Reyes and set up a finals encounter with Andre Banate, who overcame Arjohn Dela Cruz, 6-2, 2-6, 6-0.

Top seeds Christian San Andres, Hans Asistio and Mimo Tomacruz led the march of favorites to the semifinals of their respective age group divisions.

San Andres stopped Spenser Sagrado with a brutal 6-0, 6-0 win to arrange a semis match with unseeded Vince Salas, who won by default in the boys’ 12-under.

Asistio dominated Lawrence Mariano,
6-0, 6-3, in the boys’ 14-under to set up semis duel with No. 7 seed AJ Cano, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Jose Cano. Calvin Canlas and Jorou Librodo will meet in the other semis pairing.

Tomacruz blasted Joseph Tiamson, 6-0, 6-1, to advance in the 10-under unisex against Manuel Balce III, who beat Gabriel dela Maree, 6-3, 6-2. Raphael Teng routed Alexis Bangayan, 6-1, 6-2, to forge a semis date with Bianca Cruz, who overpowered Frances Santiago, 6-0, 6-0.

Maia Balce paced the semifinalists in the girls’ 12-under along with Samantha Um and Isabela Orteza.

Registration is still open in the men’s and women’s seniors divisions. The seniors’ qualifying round starts on Nov. 9 and ends on Nov. 13. The main draw begins on Nov. 14.