Riyadh - Consistent frontrunners in the ongoing 1st Mabuhay Cup 2003 Team Tennis Challenge cemented their positions going into the 6th week of tennis actions and are expected to battle it out for the Championships come November 16 at Al Yamama Hotel Tennis Courts here.
In matches last October 25, the trio of Pacific Cargo, Serve & Volley and The Volleygators teams subdued their opponents in convincing fashion, scoring identical 5 points out of 7.
Pacific Cargo relied on the heroics of their B & C players, gaining 24 game points against 20 in downing Prime Movers. Only Pacific’s George Talatala & Vic Balahan (A1 & A2) lost, bowing out 4-8, to the duo of Nilo Cabug & Jilany Chaundry. The match for C3-C4 tennisters was rescheduled to a later date.
With the same onslaught, The Volleygators, hammered down Golden Grass, at the homestretch, with the matches of Ruel Restor/Ed Carlson (A1 & A2) and Ed Galing & Edwin Peleo (B5/B6) the double setbacks. The duo of Restor & Carson succumbed to the court mastery of Romy Onas & Frank Sta. Ana, 5-8, while Galing & Peleo bowed down to Cieto Literato & Nestor de Castro, 3-8. Ed Galvez & Edgar Santos (B1 & B2) demolished the tandem of Jun Tingzon & Rey Lamban, 8-5, so with Benny dela Cruz & Ariel Quijano (B3/B4) who cut short the initial resurgence of Rey Esteban & Dennis de Castro, 8-4.
Serve & Volley, on the hand, got the better of Al Rumaih-BSF with a well-spread court brilliance of its A, B & C players. Lito Briones & Silver Tabangcura (A1/A2) won a nail-biting tiebreak, 8-7, to dump Robert Angeles & Ed Robillos. Another tiebreaking victory by their colleagues, Winnie Garibay & Jojo de Castro versus Lorie Adalim & Abet Mendoza (B3/B4), followed. The pair of XC Agbada and Ato Bautista (B5/B6) extended Serve & Volley’s winning streak with an 8-6 triumph over the duo of Deo Pelaez & Gilbert Masias. S & V’s Ding de Castro & Roger Gapasin (C3/C4) completed the near sweep when they brushed aside the stiff challenge of Akram Hamadi & Charlie Antiporta.
In matches on October 26, early leader WRJ Cargo delivered an almost perfect performance, winning six matches but one played against Diversity. WRJ Cargo’s intention of a grand sweep evaporated when its C3/C4 tennisters, Vic Inofecio & Jojo Ingles, surrendered to Diversity’s duo of Francisco Sigaya & Max Lopez, after staying with their opponents in baseline rallies and crisp volleying at the net midway into the match.
Cali Drinks followed suit with the same demolition of GDMW Army, 6 matches to 1. Only the tandem of GDMW’s C1 & C2 players, Nony Adrineda & Cocoy Arong, escaped from the fury of Cali Drinks, winning the match convincingly, 8-5, against Jun Valentino & Fred Octubre.
Chennis Ever’s luck struck for the first time when they got past Uptown Boys, 37 games to 34. Delivering the goods for Chennis Ever were the tandems of Rico Ares & Jake Olaguer (A1/A2) and Arley Reyes & Cesar Unabia (B3/B4).
Team standing as of press time:
1. WRJ Cargo, 31 points; 2. The Volleygators, 27; 3. Pacific Cargo, 26; 4. Serve & Volley,22; 5. Prime Movers, 20; 6. STC-DETASAD, 19; 7. Diversity, 18.5; 8. Al Rumaih – BSF, 18 9. Cali Drinks, 18; 10. Uptown Boys, 18; 11. Golden Grass, 15; 12. Shotmasters, 15, 13. SEC-CRB, 14; 14. FC Netters, 13; 15. Chennis Ever, 13; GDMW Army, 8.5.
Tournament sponsors are Pinoy Supermarket, Philips Medical Systems, Cali Drinks, Pacific Cargo, Top Tennis Shop, WRJ Cargo & Services, Racquet Shop, Hastek Marketing and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel. (Gem Beringuel)
