TOP seed Jeson Patrombon faces qualifier Jarell Edangga today while No. 2 Jed Olivarez slugs it out with Joel Atienza in two of the 16 matches kicking off the busy opener of the PPS-PEPP Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat.
Hostilities start at 9 a.m. with the winners heading back to the court at 1 p.m. for the second of the event marking the return of pro tennis after a two-year hiatus due to the global health crisis.
Edangga hurdled four matches in the two-day qualifier to clinch the fourth and last berth in the main 32-man draw, capping his run with an 8-3 victory over Marc Jarata yesterday. But he will be hard-pressed to dish out his very best against the many-time national team mainstay Patrombon, who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open Juniors in 2011.
Others who survived the eliminations were Aljon Talatayod, who trounced Diego Dayrit 8-4; John Tomacruz, who blasted Keno Enriquez 8-2; and Reymart Sabas, who repulsed Emmanuel Fuellas 8-4.
Third seed Johnny Arcilla tests wildcard Axi Gonzaga, No. 4 Vicente Anasta clashes with Rusell Arcilla, Jr.; fifth-ranked Josshua Kinaadman tangles with Rollie Anasta; No. 6 Mark Alcoseba trades shot with qualifier Tomacruz; seventh seed Norman Enriquez battles Sabas; and No. 8 Noel Damian, Jr. collides with Talatayod.
Also on tap is the men’s doubles, headed by the Anasta-Patrombon, and Arcilla-Kyle Dandan tandems, and the Legends 30s, 40s and 50s divisions with Dunlop, Rep, Eric Olivarez and the Olivarez Sports Center backing the event.
