Norman Joseph Enriquez snared the first semifinals seat in the Boys 16-Under division after scoring a huge victory in the rain-delayed Palawan Pawnshop Age Group-Mayor Valdemar Chiong “Handog sa Kabataang Tenista ng Naga City” tennis tournament at the Naga City tennis courts south of Cebu.
Enriquez, a member of the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters tennis varsity high school team, survived a closely fought opening set against 16-Under Boys top-seed Francis Lambayan to log a 7-6 (1), 6-1, victory in their quarterfinal game.
Meanwhile, some of the matches in the boys divisions had to be transferred to the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club’s covered tennis courts after the rain rendered the Naga City Tennis Courts useless.
The other top bets of the 16-Under Boys division, including Jan Godfrey Seno, are still awaiting their foes for the quarterfinal round in the hopes of making it into the semifinals. The other quarterfinalists in the division are Hugo Vhon Tudtud and second-seed Francis Hidalgo.
Seno barged into the quarterfinals after the University of San Carlos (USC)-BED stalwart drew a bye in the opening round.
In the premier Boys 18-Under division, Seno is set to battle Enriquez after the latter bested fellow University of Cebu player, Catteo Jayme, in a nerve-racking straight set victory, 4-2 (ret.), 6-3 (11-9) win.
John Clyde Laquio is also in the quarterfinals after he won over Francis Quino, 6-4, 6-0. He was still playing against Marc Pradel yesterday in Naga City.
Also making it into the Boys 18-under quarterfinals is Greek Apduhan, who defeated Tudtud, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (6), 10-8.
Apduhan’s win pits him against Francis Navales for a semis seat today. The other quarterfinalist in the 18-under is Gerwhin Labiste, who is still waiting for his quarterfinals foe.
Boys 14-Under division topseed Francis Lambayan, for his part, barged into the semis after defeating Christian Bajenting, 6-2, 6-2.
Matches in the girls’ divisions will start today.