Walsh, Mackay rule Tan Holdings Tennis Classic

Limited practice because of pressing medical job at the Commonwealth Health Center did not dimish Dr. Rory Mackay’s tennis prowess even when he has only few hours of sleep.

McKay, together with the island’s top player, Mike Walsh, easily bested their opponents to win the Men’s 5.0 doubles section of the 6th Tan Holdings Tennis Classic at the American Memorial Park Tennis Center courts over the weekend.

With only an hour sleep after working night shift at the CHC emergency section, Mackay and Walsh outclassed Eli Buenaventura and Patrick Bryant 6-0, 6-3 in the early round and then subdued the all-Filipino tandem of Jun Villanueva and Lope Padilla 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) in the rain-delayed finals.

In the Men’s division, top team of Dino Jones and Muhammad Ashraf breezed past surprising finalist Chuck Sayon and Rommel Tiosejo to snare the title.

Earlier, Jones and Ashraf triumphed over the seeded duo of Franz Reksid and Takahashi Kitagawa 6-2, 6-4, while Sayon and Tiosejo dumped crowd favorite Jun Villanueva and Manny Jaraplasan in a three-set thriller, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

In the Men’s 3.0 event, Boyet Minor and Manny Po stopped Jun Tuazon and Bong Gamab 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 for the crown. Both coming to the finals unseeded, Minor and Po earned the berth in another hard fought three-set match against Jojo Emaas and Louie Fontilla 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4. Tuazon and Gamab likewise took the same route with 6-2,
4-6, 6-2 victory over Romeo Coronan and Cesar Capiral.

Ronnie Lacbayo and Jun Mitran won the Men’s 2.0 doubles event, defeating the team of Robert Coracero and Nanding Cajigan in straight set 6-4, 6-4. The two teams reached the finals in contrasting fashion. Lacbayo and Mitran took three sets to stop Jose Boctoy and Arcadio Dominguez 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the semifinal, while Coracero and
Cajigan easily disposed of Ricky Castro and Mon Frias 6-0, 6-0.

In the distaff side, top team of Sally Wong and Joy Minor clinched the Women’s 3.0 title with a straight set triumph over Delia Johnson and Letty Jones. In the Women’s 2.0, Sonia Kroul and Welco Ngirakamera took the crown as they defeated Cynthia Escando and Bing Macaraeg 6-4, 6-3.

In another development, assistant tournament director Rommel Tiosejo announced that the singles matches schedule is posted at Las Vegas Gold and TEnnis Discount and the American Memorial Park Tennis Center bulletin board.