By Jun Atienza

JEDDAH — After two weeks of grueling competition in the 9th Albaik tennis tournament, being held at the Trio-Ranch Country Club, Elaf Group scored back-to-back wins against SBG-UNTEC and Team Egypt, as it led the pack in the Middle Mix category.

Elaf Group won its first match 3-1 in 3 straight sets, with August Talavera/Nestor Pandac scoring 8-0, Lito Humul/Nelson Ramos 8-4, and Cats Catalan/Cesar Magallanes with 8-5 against their respective opponents in SBG-UNTEC team. The last set was won by SBG’s Ricky Delgado/Tonji Pumbaya, 8-2. In Elaf’s second match, Team Egypt, a new-comer in team competition, was thrashed 0-4.

SBGOM-UNTEC, a new tennis group and one of the biggest contingents in the tournament with five teams fielded in various categories continued to prove its mettle as it dominated the 2 groups in Category C with impressive 3–0 win/loss records. Its Lower Mix team, however, suffered two losses 1-3 against Uricane/Issham International and 0-4 against group leader JRTC-Ewaton, which has a 3-0 win/loss record and leads Group-1.

SGS Tennis Racquet Club proved they are a force to reckon with in the ongoing tournament as they continued to pace Group-2 Lower Mix with 3-0 win/loss record, beating United for Marawi 3-1, Sports Track 4-0, and Jeddah Ranao Tennis Club 3-1.

Meanwhile, in the Ladies Division Elaf Group, powered by its B2 players Tracy Atienza and Beng Tumale, continued to dominate the Lower Mix category, along with Saudia City Tennis Club led by Ghie Asmiralde and Hezyl Lozada, both with convincing 3-0 win/loss record and with their respective matches won in straight-sets. These two teams will square-off during the weekend for the top-ranking honor.

In the Open Singles A2 category, Spanish national Manuel Salvador will face Aries Feliciano for the championship trophy during the weekend. In the Junior category 14-under, Amor Idjao will meet Fares Khoja while Faisal Enany squares off with Mahal Patel in 10-under category, for the championship.

The ongoing tennis event is presented and managed by ASTEC (Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah), under the chairmanship of Bernie Soguilon, in partnership with Albaik Food Systems Co. Ltd., with other co-sponsors — Sports Track, Vista Land, Sky Freight Forwarders and TFC (the Filipino Channel).