UST, DLSU zero in on UAAP tennis crowns

University of Santo Tomas (UST) and De La Salle University (DLSU) are closing in on the outright championship in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, of the 72nd UAAP tennis tournament. The Tigers defeated University of the Philippines (UP), 4-1, and University of the East (UE), 5-0, while the Lady Archers won over Ateneo, 4-1, to boost their respective title bids.

Santo Tomas got its seventh straight victory while De La Salle grabbed its fifth triumph as the two moved one win away from a tournament sweep and the automatic championship. Ironically, UST and De La Salle will have to beat last year’s champions on Valentine's Day in order to get the outright title. The Tigers will meet De La Salle in the men’s division at 9 a.m. while the Lady Archers will battle UST in the women’s tournament at 12 noon. Against UP, the Tigers leaned on Raymond Villarete, who downed James Pang, 6-2, 6-2, and Miguel Narvaez, who beat Justine Echague, 6-1, 6-1, in the singles matches. Completing the win for UST, Ryan Montalbo and Gerald Pinili edged Leandro Fernandez and Austin Chan, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, while Keane Barraquias and Bernardine Bering disposed of JR Dimayuga and Julian Mendoza, 6-1, 6-3, in the doubles matches. The España-based netters later cruised to the victory over UE behind the singles wins of Arn Procianos, who drubbed Joseph Nieva, 6-1, 6-2; Villarete, who turned back Charles Maneja, 6-1, 6-2; and Abmil Hussein Macapendeg, who tripped Rene Santos, 6-1, 6-0. Making it a shut out win were doubles entries Barraquias and Bering, who shellacked Prince Orilla and Rhoel Santiago, 6-1, 6-2; and Montalbo and Pinili, who outclassed Ivan Orilla and Michael Belen, 6-3, 6-3. Tigers' chief rivals De La Salle occupied second place after beating Ateneo, 4-1, for a 6-1 win-loss card in the men’s division. For their part, the Lady Archers nearly wiped out the Lady Eagles. Regina Santiago defeated Nikki Angelo, 6-0, 6-0; Mara Santos blanked Rio Baldonado, 6-0, 6-0, and Martina Guba dispatched Cookie Enriquez, 6-0, 6-1, to sweep the singles events for La Salle. Trudy Amoranto and Kristie Barraquias chalked up the Lady Archers' fourth win after getting past Ivy de Castro and Maki San Andres, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the doubles. UST defeated UP, 4-1, to take second place in the women’s side with three wins after five matches. - GMANews.TV