EAGER to discard their perennial runner-up tag, the young UST Tennisters made their championship intentions clear as they swept the first round of the UAAP Tennis competition at the Rizal Racket Club in Pasig City.
With their talented slew of rookies easily fitting into the system, UST humbled veteran foes to remain unscathed at the end of the first round in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Newcomers Ryan Reponte and James Cañete topped their singles matches to help UST claim its third straight victory in a stunning 3-2 ouster of pre-season favorite University of the Philippines (UP) last. Jan. 21.
The 17-year-old Reponte clawed his way back from a tentative first set to outlast five-year UP standout Jericho Sison, 4-6, 6-1,6-3, in a two-hour contest that saw both players succumb to cramps.
Later in the second singles pairing, Cañete, apparently inspired by Reponte’s impressive performance, cruised past Nathaniel Guadayo, 6-3, 7-5, to give UST a 2-0 team aggregate.
“(The rookies) really showed will to prove themselves,” Male Tennister coach Karl Santamaria told the Varsitarian.
In the first doubles action, UST veterans Wilbur Orillano and Alexander Diego repulsed the UP tandem of Marco Palanca and Gerald Remigio, 6-1, 6-2.
The duo orchestrated the rout with coordinated movements and timely stroke plays to offset the 3-6, 4-6 loss of fellow UST campaigners Hussein Macapendeg and Keanne Barraquias in the other doubles encounter.
By a mile
Prior to their down-the-wire scuffle with the Maroons, the Male Tennisters posted similar 4-1 victories over University of the East (UE) last Jan. 20, and Ateneo de Manila University (Ateneo), last Jan. 14.
The Male Tennisters caught the Warriors off-guard early as the pair of Barraquias and Alexander Diego conspired in a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of UE’s Michael Belen and Ivan Orilla in the first doubles play.
Cañete and Macapendeg followed suit via the full route in UST’s second doubles engagement, registering a 6-4, 3-2, 6-4 win over UP’s Emman Nieva and James Villanueva.
In succeeding singles matches, Orillano walloped Lyndon Mantua, 6-0, 6-3 in his second singles assignment, before Reponte capped UST’s amazing run with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 conquest of a listless Maroon Rhoel Santiago.
UST opened its titular bid with a flourish, prevailing over a lackluster Ateneo in the singles and doubles categories.
The hard-hitting Orillano ripped Julian Lagman, 6-2, 6-0, while Gamana thumped Leyan Moncera, 6-3, 6-2. On the other hand, the Cañete-Reponte and Diego-Barraquias team-ups scored flawless victories over UP’s John Clerigo and Raymond Castillo in doubles 1, and Mikael Amoncio and Shanon Khadka in doubles 2.
Twin kill
On the distaff side, the Lady Tennisters capped their undefeated streak in two games as they trounced Ateneo last Jan. 20 and UP last Jan. 14 under the dreadful 4-1 victory buffer.
Parading a deep roster against Ateneo’s virtual one-woman team, UST lit up the charts early on as rookie Quin Bilugan clobbered Lisa Baldonado, 6-0, 6-0, with crisp returns and drop shots.
Martina Rivero also contributed to UST’s cause, nailing a crucial match point in the pivotal second set to overcome UP’ s Brittany Araneta, 6-3, 7-6, even as Mae Herrera and Cristina Santos hardly broke a sweat in a 6-1, 6-1 manhandling of State U’s Karla Ferrer and Lady Tan Man Tiong in doubles action.
In a battle of nationally ranked players, fourth-ranked Ara Micayabas of UST fell to third-ranked Michelle Pang of Ateneo, 2-6, 4-6. The loss, however, barely stalled UST’s climb on top of the leader board as the Lady Tennisters had already secured four wins early in the match.
“Our advantage is that we have a roster where talent is distributed well,” Lady Tennisters coach Dennis Sta. Cruz told the Varsitarian.
The Lady Tennisters drubbed UP to jumpstart their championship drive on a high note.
