Alberto Lim Jr. (File photo)
National team standouts Alberto Lim Jr. and Eric Jed Olivarez continued their dominant runs Thursday, barging into the semifinals of the Gentry National Open Tennis Championships at the Colegio San Agustin hard courts in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
Top seed Lim, fresh from claiming his fourth PCA Open crown last week, overpowered Thailand’s Tanakorn Srirat, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the Final Four against ninth seed Charles Kinaadman. The Cebuano ace earned his spot after dispatching two-time PCA Open champion Patrick John Tierro, 6-1, 7-6 (6).
No. 2 seed Olivarez likewise stayed sharp, turning back No. 10 Eric Jay Tangub, 6-4, 6-1. He will next face unseeded Arthur Craig Pantino, who stunned No. 7 Nilo Ledama, 6-1, 6-3, to complete the semifinal cast.
In the women’s division, Philippine Tennis Association mainstays Tennielle Madis and Stefi Marithe Aludo kept the local flag flying high as they marched to the semifinals after impressive quarterfinal victories.
Sixth seed Madis, the reigning PCA Open champion, cruised past No. 4 Joanna Victoria Peña, 6-1, 6-2, to arrange a clash with No. 8 Rachel Patricia Velez, who shocked top seed Mikaela Vicencio, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Meanwhile, seventh seed Aludo toppled No. 3 Elizabeth Abarquez, 6-3, 6-1, and will battle No. 2 Tiffany Claire Nocos, who outlasted Paula Ysabelle Uy, 6-3, 6-3.
The Gentry National Open, staged in partnership with the Palawan Pawnshop National Tennis Championships, offers a total prize purse of P2 million. The men’s singles champion will pocket P300,000, while the runner-up will receive P150,000. In the women’s side, the champion and runner-up will take home P100,000 and P50,000, respectively.
