Tinian netters take center stage

A total of 14 singles and mixed doubles matches went down in the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament at the American Memorial Park tennis courts Saturday. But the highlight of the evening was the action in the men’s 3.0 doubles, where two teams from Saipan’s southern neighbor tangled for the championship.

Lemuel Arabelo and Doi Ligan proved that patience pays when they finally hoisted the men’s 3.0 crown following a hard-fought, three-set win over fellow Tinian tennis players Archie Montecilo and Joe San Nicolas.

Montecillo and San Nicolas, who defeated Massimo Flouti and Christophe Bertin in the semis just the evening before, rode on that straight sets win to take the first set.

But Arabelo, who works on Saipan but goes home to his family on Tinian in the weekends, and Ligan buckled down to work and snatched the second to force a third and deciding set.

In the rubber set, Arabelo and Ligan, who advanced to the finals more than a week earlier, put out all the stops in the final race-to-six and took the win and the title in a score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

The two pairs as well as tourney organizer, Saipan Tennis Association, and Tinian Tennis Association would like to thank Tinian Mayor Francisco Borja and the Tinian Mayor’s Office for providing Tinian players free ferryboat rides during the duration of the tournament.

Tinian netters have become a source of pride for the middle island of the Mariana Islands chain and have so far bagged eight first-place and second-place trophies in the doubles competition with more expected in the singles and mixed doubles division of the yearend tournament.

The Tinian father-and-son pair of Sonny and Benjie Decena had mixed fortunes in the men’s 3.0 singles competition, however.

Sonny was nipped by third-seed Noel Manalang in three sets, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (8-6), while Benjie got the better of Boy Cruz, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Top seed Gary Ramsey, meanwhile, escaped the upset axe once again, edging Roy Banados 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-1.

In men’s 4.0, No. 1 seed Jess Pacheco’s ailing foot finally gave way and he lost to speedster Beltau Toshi in a count of 6-1, 6-4. Father Ryan Jimenez vent out his frustration on Jorge Olanda, topping the men’s double champion in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. The night before Jimenez lost to Raj Rai in a close one in the men’s 3.0.

Abet Encarnacion was also on a winning end of a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) match against Eric Mahinay.

Top seed Boyet Minor was back in fine form against Buddy Garote, as the favored player advanced with a 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) victory in the men’s 4.5. Also coming through in the men’s open was Lito Cabrera, who beat an erratic Nicolas Son 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

In the women’s 4.0, Ellen Uy, Agnes Salazar, and Ayumi Cajigan all won their matches. Uy defeated Sadako Arriola, 6-3, 6-2; Salazar upended Jenny Uy, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7); and Cajigan downed Asun Demapan.

In mixed doubles, Marlon Estigoy and Audrey Motto prevailed against the husband-and-wife tandem of Gary and Karen Ramsey, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in the 3.0 division. The brother-and-sister pair of Reo and Mayuko Arriola also won against Dino Jones and Nelia Luna, 6-4, 6-1 in the mixed 4.0.

Garote and Ligaya Paculanang and Son and Kazumi Imai also scored triumphs in their mixed doubles 4.5 and open matches, respectively. Garote and Paculanang turned back Edwin Maratas and Vivian Lee, 6-4, 6-1. Son and Imai, on the other hand, bested Lope Padilla and Luna, 6-3, 6-1.