Chet Bautista
JEDDAH — Al Baik Food Systems Inc. Ltd. and Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (ASTEC) formally opened the most awaited tennis tournament at the Trio Ranch Country Club here.
The opening ceremonies of the tournament dubbed as the 7th Al Baik Tennis Tournament 2015 was well attended and attracted more than 50 team entries in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Highlighting the occasion was the presence of the Philippine Vice Consul Rodney L. Sumague who was the keynote speaker and the representatives from the event’s main sponsor Al Baik Food Systems, led by its PR Manager Bassam Al-Seyofi, Branch Manager Ed Cabiedes and Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator Mazza Farajallah.
The event started with the presentation and parade of all participating teams. An intermission dance number was provided by the group Knight Movers KSA who wowed the crowd. Special awards were given to teams in best uniforms with team ATP-Mon bagging three best uniform awards for their teams in Categories C, B2 and LMX. For the MMX Category the award went to team SOFTC (Saudi Oger Friends Tennis Club). In the women’s division, team Bavaria Taif Tennis (sponsored by Quality Trading Company) bagged the LMX plaque, while Team Uricane was the winner in the HMX category. Special gifts and prizes were also raffled to lucky spectators.
An exhibition match was played between the top Filipino player in the Kingdom, Rico Gonzales, and former ATP circuit player from Spain, Andros Gallego, which had the audience on the edge of their seats as both held serve up to 8-8 and then Gonzales was able to break Gallego’s serve to forge ahead 9-8 and continued to hold his serve to win the match at 10-8.
The first official match was played in the women’s division HMX Category between team Bavaria Taif and team Uricane. Uricane with the pair of Dena Aquino and Beng Tumale easily surged to the lead and went on to win the first set from Lovely Berras and Mary Grace Tango at 8-4. In the second set, Team Uricane sent partners Joy Siongco and Tracy Atienza against Bavaria Taif’s Dudz Villanueva and Chrisanel Duano. It was a tight contest with neither pair giving in until the scores reached 6-6 when Bavaria Taif’s Chrisanel Duano started to suffer leg cramps which slowed her down enabling Uricane to grab the lead at 7-6. Bavaria battled on the next game and leveled at 7-7 to force a tie-break. Bavaria Taif’s pair fought valiantly to lead 4-1 in the tie-break and cut the lead to 6-3 but could not sustain their game to close the match. This enabled team Uricane to level the score at 6-6 and finally nailed two more points to end the game at 8-6 and take the second set and the match with 2 wins. The third set was won by Bavaria Taif’s duo of Rosan Buihon and Nita Molina at 8-6 over Uricane’s Amor Idjao and Julie Ramos to post the final tally of 2-1 for team Uricane.
Organized and managed by the Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (ASTEC) under the helm of its current chairman Bernie Soguilon and Tournament Director Tonton Pana, this 28th ASTEC team tennis tournament, being played at the Trio Ranch Country Club tennis courts, is presented in partnership with Al Baik Food Systems Co. Ltd. represented by Bassam Al-Seyofi (PR Manager), Ed Cabiedes (Branch Manager) and Mazza Farajallah (Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator) and is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop), Skyfreight Forwarders and Pepsi Cola.
