Ten-time PCA Open champion Marian Capadocia proved that pedigree outweighs rankings on Tuesday, dismantling eighth seed Althea Ong, 6-2, 6-3, to secure a quarterfinal berth in the Palawan Open 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

The 30-year-old veteran, coming off a dominant opening-round 6-1, 6-1 win against wild card Judy Ann Padilla, utilized tactical brilliance and superior court coverage to outmaneuver her younger opponent in the blistering summer heat.

With the victory, Capadocia cements her status as the tournament’s most dangerous threat, standing as one of the two unranked players to reach the Last 8 phase.

However, a tough test awaits the veteran campaigner. To keep her dream run alive, she must hurdle second-seed Stefi Aludo in a marquee quarterfinal matchup in the P2 million tournament.

Aludo, who dominated Princess Tana, 6-0, 6-0, before securing a walkover win over Mica Emana, enters the showdown fully rested and highly motivated to halt the veteran’s charge.

Sharing the spotlight in the women’s division is La Salle’s Annika Diwa, who annexed a stunning early surge of her own. After upending third seed Tiffany Nocos in a thrilling opener, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, Diwa maintained her momentum by turning back Joanna Peña, 6-3, 6-4, to crash the quarterfinal party. She now awaits the winner of the ongoing duel between Louraine Jallorina and Akshita Antil.