Top guns collide in Gov. Bautista Open tennis tourney

MANILA, Philippines -- Jose Maria Pague gains the top seeding in the absence of injured Johnny Arcilla but focus will be on Alberto Lim and a slew of aces all primed for a duel of power and styles in the Gov. Franklin Bautista National Open Tennis Championships at the Malita courts in Davao Occidental.

The week-long, top-ranking event got under way Sunday, October 15, with Pague and the other seeded bets tipped to hurdle their respective first round matches although reversals are not ruled out given the depth of the field, including the youngsters out to prove their worth.

Pague yielded a 4-6, 3-6 result to Bryan Otico in a riveting title clash last year with the former out to settle an unfinished business this week against a field eager and ready to slug it out for one of the richest prizes staked in an Open tournament plus UTP (Unified Tennis Philippines) and UTR (Universal Tennis) rating points.

The men’s singles winner will pocket P100,000 and trophy with the runner-up to receive P50,000 plus trophy and ranking points. The men’s doubles champions will also get P80,000.

Leading the contenders’ list are Josshua Kinaadman, Eric Jed Olivarez, Eric Tangub, Alexis Acabo, Jude Ceniza and Eury Gaspar.

But Lim looms as the marked player in the P403,000 event sponsored by Gov. Franklin Bautista and held in conjunction with the Araw ng Davao Occidental founding anniversary after the former UE standout bucked the odds and won the recent Olivarez Cup, ending a three-year title spell.

As he had consistently done during his campaign, Lim banked on his aggressive play to overpower Fritz Verdad, 6-2, 6-1, in the finals with the 24-year-old ace likely to switch on the attack mode again to fuel another title run in the event also held as part of the PPS-PEPP program put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Also set to be disputed is the Grand Slam Juniors crown with the winner to get P20,000 plus trophy and ranking points. For details, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 09154046464.

Meanwhile, Kinaadman and Olivarez get the top ranking in doubles play in the event presented by Dunlop with Pague teaming up with Jude Padao, Ceniza with Tangub, Christian