Thomas Gabuat and Ma. Judyann Padilla got back into the groove of things and fashioned out another pair of victories each to boost their rankings in the PPS-PEPP national age group tournament in Zamboanga del Norte last Tuesday.
Gabuat mastered Pete Bandala twice, posting a 6-3, 6-2 triumph in the boys’ 16-and-under finals then claiming the 18-U crown via 6-2, 6-3 romp while Padilla took the girls’ 16-U title with a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Christine Gulagula. The Ozamiz City find then survived arch rival AJ Acabo, 5-7, 6-4, 10-3, to rule the 18-U division of the Labason leg of the grueling Mindanao swing of the nationwide junior circuit.
Gabuat, from Zamboanga Sibugay, and Padilla also dominated the PPS Dipolog leg with two wins apiece two weeks ago but were foiled by Vince Serna (18-U) and Acabo (16-U) in last week’s Sindangan stop of the country’s longest-running age-grouper put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Marlyn Mesiona likewise kept the girls’ 14-U crown with a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Nicole Gom-Os while Bandala made up for his twin losses in the upper division by topping the boys’ 14-U class with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Kevin Gallinero.
Others who shone in the Group 2 tournament at the Labason tennis courts were Vienna Cagas of Oroquieta City, who trounced Marian Sarsaba, 6-0, 6-0, and 10-year-old Sherwin Gom-os, who blasted Brielle Gamus, 6-1, 6-2, to clinch the 12-U top honors.
Meanwhile, action in the circuit presented by Dunlop and held under the auspices of the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) resumed yesterday (Thursday) for the Liloy leg, also in Zambo del Norte.
Lanao del Norte will host the next stop on May 1-3 for the Maranding leg while Oroquieta City in Misamis Oriental will host the next stop on May 4-6. For details and registration, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
