Cervantes caps giant-killing ways with twin wins

Unranked Zkyla Cervantes pulled off a pair of tough wins over fancied rivals to grab the spotlight with Reyman Saldivar Jr. in the PPS-PEPP Kabacan National age group 2019 at Kabacan Tennis Club in North Cotabato on Monday.

While local bet Salvidar lived up to his top billing to dominate the boys’ 14- and 16-under divisions, Cervantes stunned top seed Ysay Ysulat of Kabacan in the semis, 6-3, 6-1, before blasting No. 2 Joyce Saldivar, 6-1, 6-0, to capture the girls’ 16-U diadem.

The find from Alamada in North Cotabato later held off top seed Jonn Nadela, 6-1, 6-4, for the 18-U crown in the Group 2 tournament.

Reyman Saldivar earlier toppled Malaybalay’s Al Rasheed Lucman, 6-3, 6-3, in the 14-U finals then whipped Joross Manangking, 6-2, 6-0, to claim the 16-U plum and share MVP honors with Cervantes.

Other winners were Kabacan’s Yusuf Maldo (10-unisex), Lucman (boys’ 12-U), Koronadal’s Bruce Hurtado (boys’ 18-U), Jeanne Rayray (girls’ 12-U) and Ysulat (14-U). Maldo survived Cian Ramirez, 5-4(5), 2-4, 5-4(5).