Defending champion UST Male Tennisters ended a two-game losing streak by walloping a listless Ateneo de Manila University squad, 4-1, in their first-round encounter at the Rizal Tennis Court in Manila last Jan. 15.
UST is at fourth place behind pace-setter University of the Philippines (UP) and National University (NU) and De La Salle University, which are at second and third places, respectively.
“It’s nice that we won, but if you look into Ateneo’s line up they’re not that strong,” said head coach Gabby Remigio. “A better test is the game that we will have with La Salle next week.”
Team captain and last season’s MVP Ralph Barte drew first blood for UST, blanking Ateneo’s Henry Oaminal, 6-0, 6-0, in the first singles match. UST picked up another win courtesy of the tandem of Jake Basilad and Bernardine Bering, who outlasted Ateneo’s Gregorio Bilog and Mark Trinos, 6-2, 6-1, in the first doubles match.
Arn Procianos lost to La Salle’s Mark Balce in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, in the second singles match.
UST’s Ryan Montalbo and Gerard Pinili avenged Procianos’ defeat with a 6-0- 6-2 onslaught against Ateneo’s Andre Banate and Johann Exconde in the second doubles match-up.
Bernan Lou Bering completed a dominant outing for UST by thrashing Enzo Mayor, 6-2, 6-0.
UST earlier suffered back-to-back setbacks against UP (2-3) and a rejuvenated NU squad (2-3), which is now mentored by former UST coach Karl Santamaria.
Triumphant greenhorns
Macy Gonzales swept Ateneo’s Nikki Angelo, 6-0- 6-0, setting the tone for UST’s dominance of the Katipunan-based tennisters, 4-1. The Lady Tennisters remain unbeaten in three games.
Chrizanth Helar and Dianne Bautista also toyed with the Ateneo duo of Isabelle Lim and Sophia Espinosa for an easy 6-0, 6-1 win. Zaza Paulino joined the scoring frenzy for UST, whipping Mary Rivero. In the second doubles match, UST’s Hazel Grecia and April Santos made short work of Louise Gomez and Jessica Lagman, 6-0, 6-1. But UST's Linda Santos bowed down to Joan Opulencia, 4-6, 2-6.
