Son, Ishii deny Loyola grand slam

Daniel Son finally exacted sweet revenge on Peter Loyola, as the Korean teamed up with Kayo Ishii to beat the newly crowned men’s singles open champion and his partner, Cleofe Santos, to win the mixed doubles open finals of the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament Wednesday at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

The match was played late Tuesday evening but didn’t come to a conclusion until the next day because of another rain delay.

Son and Ishii shook off a very rusty start, which saw Loyola and Santos win the first set via shutout in just less than 20 minutes in Day 1.

It was looking like a straight sets win for Loyola and Santos in the first four games of the second, as the duo went up 3-1. But Son, who is bothered by a shoulder injury, and Ishii battled back and tied the set at 4-4 after almost exclusively returning the ball to Santos.

Loyola and Santos countered in the next game to move ahead, 5-4, as the former National College Athletics Association (Philippines) tennis player dominated the long rallies with his consistent forehand.

With their backs against the wall, Son and Ishii staved off elimination by breaking Santos’ serve in the 10th game to tie it all up at 5-5. After Ishii held serve, the duo outdid itself by breaking Loyola to extend the match to a third and deciding set.

Both pairs were visibly tuckered out as the third and final set went underway. Like the previous two race-to-six, Loyola and Santos broke the ice to take a 1-0 lead. Son and Ishii tried to break back and were leading 0-30 in the second game when rain showers abruptly ended the match.

When the game was resumed Wednesday, Son and Ishii didn’t allow Loyola and Santos to once again get going early in Day 2. Despite a night’s rest Loyola and Santos also couldn’t seem to regain the form that allowed them to dominate the opening set, as Son and Ishii eventually took the set and the match, 0-6, 7-5, 6-4.

The loss made Loyola a division short of completing a rare grand slam after he took home championships in the men’s singles open, men’s doubles open, and men’s doubles 4.5. Incidentally, Son was a losing finalist in two of those divisions and lost to Loyola in the semis of the men’s singles.

With the end of actual competition, event organizer Saipan Tennis Association will hold the awards banquet for the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament today starting at 6pm at the Hot City Karaoke Bar, Sablan Bldg. in San Jose. All participants and children are free of charge. Others will be assessed $10 at the door.

Pacific Trading Co. and Miller Lite are the main sponsors of the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament with USS Peleliu Club and Yuichiro’s Printing Design as minor sponsors.

For more information about STA and the awards banquet for the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament, please call STA president Roy Pangelinan at 256-7769, vice president-internal Nelia Luna at 288-5151 or 287-0859, vice president-external Ricky Castro at 234-7426, and officers Richard Asuncion at 287-0856, Babu Malayil at 286-9745, and Lope Padilla at 286-9733. Inquiries can also be coursed via email at saipan_tennis@yahoo.com.