Top seed Khenz Justiniani and No. 2 Pete Rodriguez fashioned out a pair of straight-set victories to lead six other fancied bets in the quarterfinal round of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis circuit presented by Tecnifibre at St. Michael Tennis Court in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, Saturday.
Justianiani, who drew a bye in the first round, overpowered Marie Pielago, 6-2, 6-2, while Rodriguez scored a walkover win in the first round then blasted Matthew Cando, 6-0, 6-1, in the lower bracket of the 10-unisex division of the four-day event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Technifibre.
“This is the first time that the municipality of Pontevedra is staging a national age-grouper and we thank Palawan Pawnshop for helping boost the sport here,” said Mayor Jose Maria Alonso.
Others who advanced were No. 3 Joshua Raymundo, fourth ranked Kerwin de Asis, No. 5 John Paul Lorico, sixth seed Andrie Estember, No. 8 Alexa Joy Milliam and Rose Segura.