Wednesday, May 07, 2008
RP’s No. 1 Arcilla confident
By Marian C. Baring
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
HE JUST got off a disappointing bid in Lucena City last week and he is not about to let it happen again as he swears to win the Cebuana Lhuillier Men’s Open Tennis Championship.
The current No. 1 player in the Philippines, Johnny Arcilla is confident that he will win.
”I will win (the title) this time,” Arcilla said after beating Antonio Sagansay, 6-3, 6-3, in Round 1 yesterday at the Baseline Recreation Center.
Last week, Arcilla had to retire in the second set of his semifinals match after his right hamstring did him in.
Yesterday, there were no signs of injury as Arcilla finished the match in less than an hour.
“Wala pa man sad nitukar. (It did not recur yet) Hopefully it will not bother me,” said the Bisaya Arcilla, who will be facing Joven Ronald in today’s second round. Joven moved to the next round after trouncing Gilbert Estrada, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Ranking
Meanwhile, highly-touted junior netter Niño Alcantara was turned to mush against men’s fourth-seed Yannick Guba of Dumaguete City, 6-1, 6-1.
The 16-year-old Alcantara, who is ranked 73rd in the world ranking and just came from a stint in the Junior Davis Cup, could not match the power of his more seasoned opponent as he bombed out of the competition when he bowed to Guba in straight sets.
Cebu’s junior players Kennex Abadia and John Francis Largo, on the other hand, suffered contrasting fates in their first round assignments yesterday.
Both players will be leaving the comforts of age group tennis and this tournament will be their baptism of fire for their entry to the men’s division.
The gigantic Abadia, an incoming second year college student of University of San Jose-Recoletos, was booted out of the competition after losing to Pablo Olivarez II in three sets, while Largo of Naga had an easier time as he advanced to the next round after defeating Manila’s Jandrick de Castro in two short sets.
Abadia lost to Olivarez, 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, in a match that lasted for more than three hours. Despite losing in the first set, Abadia initiated a comeback and rallied hard in the second set to even the match.
In the deciding set, however, Abadia lost steam to eventually lose to Olivarez. After having been roasted by the midday sun for hours, and after changing shirts countless of times, Abadia was huffing all throughout the set and at one time growled out of frustration.
“I was disappointed because I was not able to complete the comeback,” said Abadia, who admitted that he couldn’t endure.
“I need to work on my endurance. Exposure-wise, Olivarez has an advantage over me,” said Abadia.
Largo, on the other hand, was egged on by other enthusiasts from Naga, who came to Baseline to cheer for him where he defeated de Castro, 6-3, 6-2.
Challenge
The Palarong Pambansa double gold medal winner came to the match forgetting to bring socks, which gave the audience more reasons to cheer.
“If you win, I’ll buy you socks,” said one supporter to Largo. After the game, Largo said that he did not feel one bit uncomfortable playing without socks and thought it might had brought him luck. “Maybe I’ll continue playing without socks now,” the 17-year-old said.
Largo will be facing Davao City’s Ralph Kevin Barte, who is seeded 8th in the competition.
In the other matches, the oldest player in the competition, 46 year old Jessie Lapore, moved to the next round following an emphatic 7-6, 6-2 win over Joseph Arcilla. (MCB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 7, 2008 issue)
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