CEBUANO Christopher Encarnacion booked one of the last four tickets in the men’s open championship after he registered successive victories in the Palawan Pawnshop – Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) regional tennis qualifiers at Naga City Tennis Club yesterday.
The top-ranked Encarnacion who is a pride of Dumanjug, Cebu lived up to it’s billing pulling off masterful victories against Edwin Bacarisas, 8-7 (3), and Feb Wendel Deja, 6-1, 6-2, to set up a duel with Ronard Joven today.
In other games, Gabriel Riconala thrashed Ricky Ramoneda, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-8, while Clyde Laquio blanked Leo Diapana, 6-0, 6-0, to move into the next round.
Nilo Ledama also smashed Dan Cinco, 8-6, and Dale Estonillo, 6-0, 6-4.
Riconala, Laquio and Ledama will take on Johnny Arcilla, Roel Capangpangan and PPS-PEPP poster boy Patrick John Tierro today.
Other Cebuanos who are competing in the men’s open tournament are Janji Soquino, Norman Enriquez and 16-year old tennis sensation Jan Godfrey Seno.