Abarquez seizes 3 Palawan tennis titles

Elizabeth Abarquez bagged three titles, including the girls’ 18-and-under crown, in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis tournament at Maasin Tennis Club in Leyte Tuesday.

Abarquez upended top seed Larriz Coderos, 6-0, 6-2, in the semifinals and then outlasted Angeli Albino, 6-1, 2-6, 10-3, in the 18-U final of the Group 4 event presented by Technifibre.

The 13-year-old Abarquez from Carcar, Cebu, earlier took the 14-U title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Albino. She then bested Albino again to pocket the 16-U diadem via a 6-2, 6-0 rout.

Joshua Ramon Torres of Baybay shared the spotlight by winning the boys’ 14-U plum via a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Jeff Paler, although top seed Francis Hidalgo from Pardo, Cebu foiled him with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the 16-U section.

“The circuit has rarely seen one player dominating but Abarquez’s feat should inspire the other junior players to strive for more,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Second seed Norman Enriquez frustrated Hidalgo in the 18-U final by scoring a 6-1, 6-2 romp while top seed Franconero Nuñez from Baybay survived Ghylem Basalo, 6-2, 2-6, 13-11, to snare the boys’ 12-U title.

Top seed Nicholas Olat rallied past No. 2 Corazon Lambonao of Ormoc for the 10-unisex title, 0-4, 4-1, 4-1.

Lambonao ruled the 12-U by walkover over Denamarra Alinsub.