Top seeds advance in singles play

Ranked players pushed their weight around in Day 4 of singles play in the 2004 Shell-Telesource Open Friday night at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

Speedy Buddy Garote kicked off the parade of top seeds by overcoming hard-serving Ganover Rettin in straight sets in men’s 4.5. Rettin actually had Garote in the defensive in the first set. Garote, however, had his way in the second to win 7-5, 6-0.

Richard Asuncion was not as fortunate, though, as Nanding Cajigan upset the second seed in three sets 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.

The lone men’s open match Friday saw Lito Cabrera beat temperamental youth netter Nicolas Son 6-1, 5-3 (retired). The match reportedly ended rather ugly for Son after the UMDA Junior Tennis champion threw all the tennis balls outside the court after getting frustrated over his lackadaisical play.

In the longest match of the evening, men’s 4.0 top seed Jess Pacheco survived Jorge Olanda in a hotly contested match 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3. Pacheco will now face dangerous Craig Buboltz on the next round after Buboltz also advanced following a 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 win over Art Lopez.

On the other side of the men’s 4.0 bracket, tourney surprise Noel Dognidon will square off against crafty veteran Lito Santos after both players waylaid separate rivals also Friday night. Dognidon victimized Rommel Tiosejo 6-1, 6-0, while Santos got the better of Didith Julve 6-2, 6-4.

Gary Ramsey, the No. 1 seed in men’s 3.0, also made it to the next round after the Commonwealth Health Center physician stopped Elemen Solomon 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Second seed Father Ryan Jimenez is making his first semifinal appearance in the division after ousting Yesman Gurung 6-1, 6-3. His doubles partner, Michael Roberts, also got through the quarters, topping Ruben Leynes 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Youth netter Kanani Ashraf continued her great play going up against men twice her age, beating Chris Stophe 6-2, 6-4.

Friday evening also saw the debut of mixed doubles with the duo of Eli Buenaventura and Letty Jones triumphing over Dr. Mohammad Ashraf and Kazumi Imai 6-2, 6-3.

Nine matches also were concluded Thursday. Julve defeated Roger De Villa 7-5, 6-2 in men’s 4.0. Tiosejo also upended Vivian Lee’s run in the division 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Buboltz hurdled the challenge of Romy Sotto 6-3, 6-4 and Olanda recorded a walkover win against Francis Mangsat.

In men’s 3.0, Ramsey took out Edgar Casing 7-5, 6-1. Leynes topped Mario Buensuceso 6-3, 6-3 and Stophe defeated Nigel Cacdac 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Father Jimenez also nudged out Joel Santiago 6-2, 6-2 and Gurung beat Romy Espeleta 6-2, 6-2.

For more information about the 2004 Shell-Telesource Open, call tournament directors Elmer Guzman at 483-2004 or Alex Martin at 322-1130.