Experience trumps youth in PCA Open tennis championship

The old guards will have to extend their duties over at Philippine Columbian Association Open tennis championship.

That’s after veteran Johnny Arcilla and Marian Jade Capadocia turned back their younger opponents to claim the men’s and women’s singles titles Sunday.

Arcilla, 39, didn’t have to match the strength of Jurence Zosimo Mendoza in fashioning out a 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 triumph to claim his 9th championship.

It cemented Arcilla’s legend at the clay/shell courts after beating the 23-year-old Mendoza in ruling the tournament he last won in 2013.

The same thing happened in the women’s finals after Capadocia picked up her 7th title — third in as many years — besting 14-year-old Jennila Rose Prulla, 6-1, 6-0.

“I just played by game, Jurence is a tough opponent, he has a lot of promise,” said Arcilla, a many-time national team and Davis Cup member.

But from the looks of it, the young guns will have to learn a lot from Arcilla’s no-pressure, easy placement style which worked very well for him in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013.

In PCA Open history only Robert Angelo and Joseph Lizardo have come near Arcilla feat with three titles each.

Capadocia, who is seeing action in the coming Southeast Asian Games, also extended her own meet record. Only Jennifer Saret and Czarina Mae Arevalo could come close with four title each.