JOHN David Velez and Alexa Milliam kept their win run going in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis, posting a pair of victories to share the MVP honors in the San Carlos leg in Negros Occidental yesterday.
Velez, a perennial leg winner in the circuit, including the recent Pikit stop in Cotabato, routed Sai Lago, 6-1, 6-0, in the boys’ 14-and-under finals then the Precious International School of Davao ace repulsed Reynan Mahusay, 6-2, 7-5, to claim the 16-U title in the Group 2 tournament backed by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.
Milliam, from La Carlota, also sustained her form coming off a rare three-title feat in Bacolod last week, beating Casey Padilla twice, 6-4, 6-0, in the girls’ 12-U finals and 6-3, 6-3, in the 14-U side of the event supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, PPS-PEPP, Wilson, Toby’s, BMeg, Citigreen, Babolat and Tru-Flex of the Unified Tennis Group.
“These two young players have the potential to become the country’s next stars and through the PPS-PEPP circuit, we are providing them the support, motivation and exposure they need to live up to their promise,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/COO Bobby Castro.
Milliam actually completed another three-title romp as she teamed up with Lyrah Repollo to down Padilla and Safina Solon, 8-2, in the 14-U doubles finals.
Sharing the podium with the co-MVPs were Naga Cebu’s Vincent Canete, Sogod, Leyte’s Lago, Pontevedra’s Mahusay, Elsie Abarquez of Carcar, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro’s Aubrey Calma.
The No. 7 Caneta upened fourth seed Faith Banico, 5-4(7), 4-2, to snare the 10-unisex diadem; Lago stunned top seed Khenz Justiniani, 6-1, 6-0, for the boys’ 12-U plum; Mahusay shocked No. 1 Vhon Tudtud, 2-6, 6-1, 10-5, in the semis then upset No. 2 Troy Llamas, 6-2, 6-1, for the 18-U crown; Abarquez crushed Bless Coderos, 6-1, 6-0, for the girls’ 16-U title; and Calma turned back top seed Abarquez, 6-0, 6-2, in the 18-U finals of the event held as part of the Pintaflores celebration.
Abarquez and Coderos later teamed up to edge Calma and Janelle Llavore, 8-7(3), in the girls’ 18-U doubles while Mahusay and Tudtud took the boys’ title with a similar 8-7(3) escape over Jay Canono and Klein Cañete. Dwyne Faelnar and Lago snatched the 14-U doubles title with an 8-6 win over Eric Langakit and Joshua Largo; while Kirby Ramacho and Kirrah Gauran claimed the 10-U doubles plum with an 8-4 romp over VJ Canete and Cloyd Canoy.
