JEDDAH — Elaf Group and Issham International came out on top to book their Category B2 semifinals berths in the 7th Al Baik Tennis Tournament 2015. In the LMX Category Astec-Deltaz team won 3-1 against a fighting SOFTC team to make the semifinals. While in Category C, Zuhair Fayez team narrowly escaped the clutches of team Twister to register a 2(25)-2(22) win by points to grab its last four berth. In the MMX Category, team DP World was a notch above in beating SOFTC 2-1 in the semifinals round and is awaiting its opponent in the championship. As the tournament winds down to its final week at the sprawling courts of Trio Ranch Country Club in Jeddah, games went down to the wire. Team Elaf Group was a runaway winner as it blanked Astec-Sky Freight into submission during their Category B2 quarterfinals match. Ricky Salazar and Ronald Mercado started off with a tie-break win (8-7) over Bernie Soguilon and Ahmad Lagman in the 1st set. It was followed by Cats Catalan's 8-3 mastery in the 2nd set singles against Raldy Sultan to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Lito Zamudio and Ed Umlas would not let up as they took the 3rd set 8-2 from Gary Bautro and Jun Tomas. The 4th set between August Talavera and Rey Tablang against Junior Salazar and Robert Puno was not needed. Team Elaf will now play Saudia City Tennis Club. In another Category B2 quarterfinal match, team Uricane-Issham International also went to three sets before finally disposing of Samahang Pinoy Tennis Club's team Rading. Team SPTC-Rading took the 1st set with Marlon Pagsanjan and Noi Moto defeating Uricane's Tuffs Laguindab and Anuar Laguindab 8-6. However, team Uricane bounced back in the 2nd set singles as Nilo Borata pounded Mansour Khalid 8-1 to tie the match 1-1. In the 3rd set Walid Batestil and Egay Go showed no mercy to Cesar Pabico and Romeo Porras to win 8-1 and put team Uricane beyond reach at 2(22)-1(10). The 4th set match between Boy Castillo and Ronnie Organo versus Waymor Carmelottes and Romy Sorra was thus not needed. Team Uricane-Issham International moved to the semifinals against team Toyota. In Category C, team Zuhair Fayez struggled to clinch its assignment against Twister. After taking the 1st set with Ryan Sultan and Tamir Saeed's 8-3 win over Ameco Benito and Habib Abubakar, Ricky Salazar lost the 2nd set singles 4-8 to Exan Dimaronsing. Nelson Sta. Clara and Abdullah Miswak then lost the 3rd set 5-8 to Gilbert Santos and Abe Sarip to put the score at 1-2 in favor of Twister. In the 4th set Ryan Tiu and Eric Cuyco held their nerves to register an 8-3 win over Ali Tantuas and Najier Dimagiba to post a narrow 2(25)-2(22) win for Zuhair Fayez and pocket their pass to the semifinals against team SBG-RPDTC-I. DP World beat Saudi Oger and Friends Tennis Club to move into Category MMX semifinals. DP World took the 1st set with Lito Mosquera and Dennis Miralles winning 8-6 against Alex Duma and Beejee Bandilao. Then Melvin Rama and Roy Felix labored to tie-break in the 2nd set but lost 7-8 to the flashy August Talavera and Sev Sumaya to make it 1-1. In the 3rd set DP World's Rad Montero and Max Dela Rita poured everything on Marlon Delfin and Jel Vista to post a blowout 8-1 win. The 4th set hostilities were stopped after DP World's Ramon Monterde and Darrel Eltagonde scored 1-0 against Floren Ponce and Baraa Habil as the scores were out of reach for SOFTC. DP World await its championship rival — JRTC-Jimmy or Zuhair Fayez. Organized and managed by the Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (ASTEC) under the helm of its current chairman Bernie Soguilon and tournament Director Tonton Pana, this 28th Astec team tennis tournament is presented in partnership with Al Baik Food Systems Co. Ltd. represented by Bassam Al-Seyofi (PR manager), Ed Cabiedes (branch manager) and Ms. Mazza Farajallah (corporate social responsibility coordinator) and is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop), Sky Freight Forwarders and Pepsi Cola.
