Monday, January 29, 2007 Kennex outlasts 2nd seed Antigua By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
KENNEX Abadia bucked the scorching heat, seven slide twos and survived a gritty foe to drop the upset axe on second seed Larry Antigua in three sets in the Milo Junior Tennis Cup last Saturday at the Casino Español tennis courts.
Abadia needed two hours to defeat University of the Visayas teammate Antigua, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16, to be the first to advance to the semifinal round of the premier Boys 18 division.
After taking a set each, Antigua was determined to redeem himself, but a ruptured blister slowed him down.
“I had blisters early in the final set and it was hard to run around and I had muscle cramps towards the end,” Antigua said.
Antigua, however, did not surrender without giving a fight. When Abadia was at match point, 9-7, Antigua climbed back to level the game at 10-all, which started an onslaught of slide twos. Muscle cramps virtually brought Antigua down and out of contention.
No more rain
Meanwhile, after a two hour halt due to rains yesterday afternoon, Cyril Camporedondo ended his impressive run when he was booted out by John Francis Largo, 5-7, 2-6, in the other quarterfinal match-up of the same age group.
Camporedondo earlier survived Lowell Lloyd Cañete in a three-setter, 6-4, 1-6, 10-7, before facing Largo.
Largo, who is bound for Australia this summer for the Arafura Games, will face Jomer Pavo in the semis next Saturday.
Celebrated netter Sally Mae Siso, on the other hand, booked two semifinal tickets after winning her matches in the Girls 14 and Girls 16 division, where she will both face Jessica Lagman in the next round.
Siso, of the University of San Carlos South Campus, trounced an older Julie Ann Jopia, 6-2, 6-0 in the Girls 16 quarterfinal to arrange a semis outing with Jessica Lagman.
Exceptional
Lagman, an occasional contender, showcased an exceptional performance when she defeated Mary Charmaine Cabigon, 6-7, 6-4, 11-9.
In the Girls 14 division, Siso floored Joan Abarquez, 6-0, 6-0, while Lagman entered the semis via walk over.
The other semifinalists in the Girls 16 division are the oldest Siso, Sallydine, who defeated Rosa Maria Gelbolingo, 6-2, 6-0 to face topseed Kristel Mae Buenacosa.
Cheska Tabotabo and Khara Lei Abadia complete the semifinalists in the Girls 14 division.
Players advancing to the semifinals in the 10 Under unisex division are Adrian Parangan who defeated Jomar Colonia, 6-3, 6-2, Carlo Jay Ramoneda, who defeated Lucal Reitmueller, 6-1, 6-0, Derek Tabotabo and Christian Ugarte.
In the Boys 12, Jacob Lagman leads the semifinalists after winning over Niño Baylosis, 6-0,6-0, John Michael Necesario, who defeated Mark Norman Enriquez, 6-0, 6-4, Francis Parangan, who defeated Christian Ugarte, 6-2,6-0, and Fritz Satera.
Entering the quarterfinals of the Boys 14 are Bernardin Niño Siso, Gedion Ramoneda, Joseph Tallo and Jacob Lagman. In the Boys 16, Niño also moved to the quarter-finals together with Gerald Lambayan, Amiel Aya-ay, Jess Anthony Espinosa and June Ryan Montalbo.
The games will continue next week in the same venue.
