Arthur Craig Pantino returns a forehand to John Bryan Otico during the men’s singles final of the first Metro Manila Open tennis tournament at the PCA indoor shell court in Paco, Manila on May 28, 2023. Pantino won, 5-7, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. (Contributed photo)
Arthur Craig Pantino, a Davis Cupper and Cebu native, has been awarded a wild card entry in the 42nd Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open Tennis Championships, which fires off this weekend at the PCA indoor shell court in Paco, Manila.
Joining him on the list of wild card recipients are local bets Miguel Lagac, Rap Teng, Al Zayeed Baid, Christian Balang, Raymond Padigos, and Thailand’s Tanakorn Srirat.
Pantino was part of the Philippine squad that defeated Kyrgyzstan, 2-0, in the Asia Oceania Group IV playoff last July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, securing promotion to Group III of the Davis Cup. He teamed up with Albert Lim Jr., Eric “Jed” Olivarez, Francis Casey Alcantara, and Ruben Gonzales in that campaign.
Lim, the defending PCA Open singles champion, reigned last year after dismantling Olivarez in the finals, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.
For Pantino, the PCA Open is more about experience than expectations. “I’m not expecting anything at the PCA Open. I just want to enjoy and we’ll see how it goes,” said the 24-year-old sociology graduate from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
The qualifying rounds are currently underway, with eight players set to advance to the 64-man main draw.
In last year’s doubles events, Lim and Angeline Alcala bagged the mixed doubles crown with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Rolly Saga and Joanna Tan, while Marian Capadocia extended her reign by clinching a 10th consecutive women’s singles title at the expense of Khim Iglupas, 6-2, 6-4.
Rovie Baulate and Elsie Abarquez took the women’s doubles championship, outlasting Bambi Zoleta and Aileen Rogan, 6-3, 6-2.