By Jun Atienza JEDDAH — The highlights of the 9th Albaik Tennis Challenge 2016 finals were upsets, wherein group leaders were toppled and no single tennis club had domination in the various categories at stake as it was in the past editions of the tournament. Elaf Group threatened to romp away with three titles going into the finals, but was upset in two, and emerged champion in the highest category — Higher Mix. In the Middle Mix category (B1/B2 players), Elaf started strong in the first set with the tandem of August Talavera and Ramil Abdua beating the pair of Dennis Miralles and Sohail Hafez, 8-7, in a tie-breaker. NCB bounced back to claim the second set 8-5, and with Cromwell Marzo and Ian Estillore defeating 8-3 Elaf’s erstwhile undefeated Lito Humul and Nelson Ramos, NCB’s pair of Ricky Mediavillo and Amin Paraji needed only two games in the 4th set to seal the championship crown in this category. In the Ladies Lower Mix category (combination of B2/C players), previously unbeaten during the elimination rounds with a 4-0 win-loss record, Elaf’s pair could not close out its lead of 7-4 in the first set to eventually lose 7-8 in the tiebreaker against Saudia City Tennis Club’s doubles pair of Ghie Asmiralde and Lynne Bais. Down a set, Elaf tandem of Neth Tumale and Fe Abat tried to forge a third-set super tie-break in a see-saw battle for points, but SCTC’s Hezyl Lozada and Jocelyn Sabio warded off the efforts and sealed victory, 8-6, to win the championship in this Ladies Division. Meanwhile, SBGOM UNTEC team started strong in the Higher Mix category, with its first-set doubles pair of Bonnie Zafra and Carlo Guese beating Elaf’s Bok Gregorio and Ricky Delgado, 8-2. Elaf tied the score in the second set with an 8-4 victory by brothers Jun and Raymond Miguel over SBG’s June Marcelo and August Talavera. The battle for the third-set advantage was fought with Elaf’s pair of A2/B+ Aris Feliciano and Roland Santos getting the better off SBG’s Ariel Mariano and Jovie Abella in a tie-breaker 8-7, to get the upperhand with a two-to-one set advantage for Elaf. The fourth and final set, however, was awarded in favor of Elaf team due to technical violation of the opposing team for fielding a combination of B/B players instead of B1/B. Organized by ASTEC with its current chairman Bernie Soguilon, tournament director Damian Mercado, Francis Idjao and Jun Atienza as advisers, this 9th Albaik 45-day long tournament, which incidentally is Astec’s 30th team tennis tournament, is presented yearly in partnership with Albaik Food Systems, Inc., and is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop), Skyfreight Forwarders, Vista Land, and Sports Track.