By Jun Atienza
JEDDAH — Elaf Group, SGS, Samahang Pinoy (SPTC) and Hidada clubs set the pace on the opening day the 8th AlBaik Tennis Tournament at the Trio-Ranch Country Club by winning against their respective opponents in different categories.
Elaf drew first blood in the Middle Mix Category, winning 3 sets to 1, at the expense of tournament organizer’s team Astec-Deltaz. Elaf started strong with the tandem of Obet Tumale and Ronald Mercado taking the first set 8-4 and followed by an easy win by Cats Catalan and Ricky Salazar, posting a huge 8-1 victory. Astec fought back in the third set with the consistent play of veteran Ely Ramos and Jhune delos Reyes forcing a tie-break, which they lost eventually to Elaf’s August Talavera and Marlon Pagsanjan. The fourth set was another tie-breaker which was won by Astec’s Marlon Delfin and Nestor Pandac, 8-7 (7/5).
Hidada Engineering, meanwhile, blasted its opponent in Category C, blanking a relatively new team Makkah Ranao Tennis Club (MRTC) 4-0, with its pairs of Dexter Lacson/Bernard Lembago and Ramon Manalac/Ahl de Umda scoring 8-0 against their respective opponents. Hidada’s other team in Group 2 defeated Saudi Oger Friends Tennis Club (SOFTC) by just a few points 2 (26) against 2 (24).
In the higher category, Hidada also showed its dominance in B2 by blasting former champion Uricane 3–1, with two sets stretching into tie-breaks, while the other two sets were won by Hidada’s Tony Cleofas/Jojo Magdamo (8-5) and Joel Chan/Jun Ordonez (8-6) against their respective opponents.
SGS Tennis Racquet Club likewise posted two wins apiece in both its C and Lower Mix entries. Bolstering its claim to be the force to reckon with in these categories, SGS clobbered both their respective opponents 4–0, against GMTC in C and SOFTC in Lower Mix.
In the other Group-3 C match, SGS bested its opponent Hidada Engineering after posting identical scores of 2 (27) in a super tie-break, in which SGS pair of Jun Nalugon/Nelson Sta. Clara beat Hidada’s Ramon Manalac/Dexter Lacson, 12-10.
Samahang Pinoy Tennis Club (SPTC) won in straight sets 4-0 against its first-round opponent Winter Spinner, whose members are relatively tennis beginners. This year-end tennis tournament welcomed other five new teams that are composed mainly of tennis beginners, namely, Tornadoes, Aramco-KAUST, GMTC, KAMC-Makkah and Bok’s team.
Organized by Astec under the helm of its current Chairman Bernie Soguilon and Tournament Director Tonton Pana, this 29th tournament is presented in partnership with AlBaik Food Systems Inc., and is supported by Deltaz Marketing, Skyfreight Forwarders, Sports Track and Qatar Airways. The tournament is expected to conclude by Nov. 5.
