Tiffany Nocos and John David Velez set out for another title crack in the premier division as the PPS-PEPP national juniors tennis championships wrap up its Cebu swing beginning today at the Consolacion courts in Laray, Consolacion.
Nocos and Velez shared the 18-and-under honors in varying fashions in the City of Naga leg with the former, a rising star from Lapu-Lapu City, foiling Ormoc’s Kimi Brodeth’s bid for a golden double with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 victory.
Velez, on the other hand, stopped Mcleen Gomera’s own two-title bid with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 win with the Ormoc City ace going all-out for a third straight crown in the centerpiece category of the Group 2 tournament.
With Brodeth opting to take a rest after a grueling campaign in the Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Naga stages of the four-leg Cebu tour that netted her four titles, including three in 16-U play, this week’s battle looms to be a tossup between Nocos and Judy Ann Padilla with Juliana Tenepre, Floresque Hingoyon, Dominique Serrato, Amygray Olalo, Jean Sarap and Lea Balacuit out to spoil their projected title clash.
Velez also braces for a tougher outing this week with Gomera raring to get back at him while the likes of Hans Cabellon, Ivan Manila, Cyril Paster, Ethan Ondoy, Gerald Gemida and Gio Manito are all coming into the country’s longest talent-search.
The unranked Tenepre, meanwhile, goes all-out for the defense of the 14-U diadem after the Mandaue bet upended a slew of seeded players to reign in Naga while Alexa Cruspero and Donna Mae Diamante gear up for a showdown in girls’ 12 side of the week-long event
