Doubles champions crowned at PIC

The 6th Annual PIC Tennis Championships came to a close yesterday as champions in the doubles scene were crowned at the Pacific Islands Club tennis courts.

Leading the cast of winners was veteran Peter Loyola, who earned two titles to add to the singles title he won last week.

Loyola, a tennis instructor at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, first teamed with fellow veteran Faheem Ebrahim in the men’s open doubles and the two showcased their toughness as they fought back from a first set loss to beat Son brothers Daniel and Nicolas.

The Son duo was cruising in the opening set and had everything going their way to score a 6-3 victory.

Ebrahim and Loyola came storming back to take the second set, 6-4, and continued to attack the net to clinch the title with a 6-2 victory.

Later in the day, Loyola joined forces with Cleofe Santos to win the mixed doubles crown over the mother-son tandem of Young and Daniel Son.

Like his earlier match, Loyola and his partner had to come back from the a slow start as Young and Daniel Son placed their shots well and won, 6-4.

Loyola and Santos responded with a stronger push in the second set and forced a do-or-die finale with a 6-4 victory before closing strong for a 6-0 clincher.

Loyola and Santos had their way in the semis and scored a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Edgar and Matty Buenaventura, while Daniel and Young Son slipped past Ebrahim and Sally Lee 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

The title was Santos’ second in two days as she and Joy Minor teamed up to win the women’s 4.0 on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Vivian Lee and Karen Ramsey.

Both teams reached the finals via forfeit in the semis.

Meanwhile, Micronesian Games hopefuls Mayuko Arriola and Lee were able to take care of business to win the women’s open over Yuko Kobayashi and Young Son in straight sets, 6-1 and 7-5.

For their part, Father Ryan Jimenez and Boyet Minor had just enough to edge the doctor-doctor team of Richard Brostrom and Gary Ramsey in the men’s 4.0 category, 6-4 and 7-5.

Francis Mangsat and Eli Aguilar topped the men’s 3.0 division, beating the determined duo of Dennis Tababa and Dexter Palacios 6-1, 6-0.

Mangsat and Aguilar first had to get through Christian Miller and Brad Brostrom 6-2, 6-0, then defeated Ryan Baron and Joe Motto Jr. 6-1, 6-3 to reach the finals.

Tababa and Palacios also broke past a tough semifinals task as they defeated Dillon Lee and Jae Won Lee 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). The Lees defeated Peter Bocago and Marino Pungilug 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

Last week, Loyola claimed the men’s open singles title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Nicolas Son.

Thea Minor won the girls’ juniors title with a 6-1 victory over Ilia Corella; Arriola won the women’s open with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Vivian Lee; Tinian’s Sonny Decena won the men’s 4.0 beating Nate Algaier, 6-0 and 6-1; Benjie Decena topped the boys’ junior division with a 6-0 victory over Ryan Baron; Gary Ramsey won the men’s 3.0 over Pungilug, 6-4 and 7-5.