Bautista, Dilao bag Suarez Cup titles

Sandra Bautista and Frank Dilao hacked out a pair of hard-fought victories to split the 16-and-under titles and the Most Valuable Player honors in the Fr. Fernando Suarez M-Cup National Juniors Tennis Championships in Biñan, Laguna over the weekend.

The top-seeded Bautista wore down No. 3 Erynne Ong in a tense finals battle, escaping with a 6-3, 4-6, 14-12 decision and completing back-to-back victories after the Bacoor, Cavite find captured the
16-an-U title at the Valle Verde stop last week.

Dilao, seeded No. 4, prevailed in a sibling rivalry from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, overcoming France Dilao, 2-6, 6-3, 10-7, to top his side of the competition in the Group 2 tournament presented by Rep. Len-Len Alonte-Naguiat and held in honor of the late healing priest, a tennis enthusiast and supporter.

Ariel Cabaral from Gen. Trias, Cavite, and Quezon City's Chloe Mercado shared the 18-and-U trophies, Julio Naredo, also from Quezon City, and Muntinlupa's Ave Maria Policarpio took the 14-and-U crowns, Marcus Go from QC and Pasig's Vania Parawan halved the 12-and-U diadems, and Everette Niere from Bogo City, Cebu topped the 10-and-U unisex category.

The second-ranked Cabaral toppled top seed and doubles partner Darwin Cosca Jr., 6-1, 6-4, to bag the premier class title for the second consecutive week, while Mercado bounced back from a previous finals loss to Mica Emana at Valle Verde with a 1-0(ret.) win over Bautista.

The unranked Naredo scored a shutout win over top seed Mikael Honrado in the first round then rolled past three other rivals before beating Nicholas Andal in the finals, 6-1, 6-1, while Policarpio repulsed Ella Paglalunan, 6-2, 6-4, in the tournament held under the Palawan Pawnshop junior program.

Go, on the other hand, overwhelmed Jan Villeno, 6-0, 6-3, while Parawan repelled Lilith Rufino, 6-4, 6-4, even as Everette Niere upended No. 1 Raven Licayan, 1-4, 4-0, 12-10.

Mercado, Cabaral, Naredo and Everette Niere all finished with two victories as they claimed the doubles crowns with partners Ong, Cosca, Andal and Rayven Licayan, respectively, while Dania Bulanadi and Xophia Oliveros topped the girls' 14-and-U doubles division.