JEDDAH — Team J&B blanked ASTEC into submission during its Category B2 match over the weekend. Also showing form was RSTP's LMX, which routed SPTC 4-0. Nearly as impressive was RSTP Category C team, which registered a 3-1 win over Dark Horse. Teams are giving their best as they try to secure their slots in the quarterfinals of the 4th Al Baik Team Tennis Challenge 2012, which is being played at Hotel Al-Bilad tennis courts here. As a prelude to the final score, J&B showed its might in the 1st set. Cats Catalan and Noel De Guzman denied Astec's Oca Lovitos/Rey Villaraza with an 8-0 score. In the 2nd set featuring past Astec chairmen, J&B with Jun Atienza and Bernie Soguillon posted an 8-5 win over Rading Bautista/Jun Tomas to lead 2-0. Making matters worse for Astec, Tata Amor's partner Richard Harris went missing thus handing an 8-0 win to Tony Cleofas/Jun Ordonez. The 4th set was also controlled by J&B as Albert Arriesgado and Marlon Pagsanjan registering an 8-5 win over Cesar Pabico and Allan Maya Basa to complete the 4-0 sweep. The Red Sea Tennis Players (RSTP) team, meanwhile, was equally ruthless against SPTC in a Category LMX outing. Starting with Hussam I-Basha/Ramzi Ali with a 1st set 8-2 win over Mario Betorio/Choy Argarin there was no looking back for RSTP. Khaleed/Majeed Bukhari capped the 2nd set with an 8-6 decision against Lino Bautista/Ben Micu, followed by another solid 8-2 performance by Solomon/Ron Valdez over Oca Lovitos/Lito Bentulan leading by a 3-0 margin for RSTP. Completing the 4-0 sweep were Alex/Vic Alvaran, who coasted to an 8-4 victory over Cesar Pabico/Ali Callanta. Another RSTP team, this time in Category C also made its mark after it beat team Dark Horse 3-1. Ahmad Lagman/Majeed Bukhari started the onslaught with a 1st set 8-5 win over Rico/Adan. Joel Quimpo/Alex Tam survived the tie-break in the 2nd set to down Herbert/Edward Forsuello and put RSTP up 2-0. Dark Horse scored its first point in the 3rd set as Armand/Mansour beat Jess/Jonas Quinio to cut into RSTP lead 2-1. But Mark Lidres/Rhino Endrigo would not be denied as they outclassed Kelly/Richard with an 8-1 4th set score to hand victory to RSTP. Organized and managed by the Association of Tennis Clubs, Jeddah, (ASTEC) this team tennis tournament is sponsored by Al Baik Food Systems Co. under the aegis of its PR Manager Bassam Al-Seyofi and Marketing Coordinator Mahmoud Al-Jaber. Supporting the event are Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop) through Maher Tebakhi and Amin Malik and Al-Raddadi Clinic through Ahmad Abdulrahman, Dr. Jethro Fajardo and Tony Bustamante.
