The mad scramble for a seat in the semifinal round reached fever pitch in the ongoing 1st Arabasco Tennis Challenge as Zoom Zoom Mazda of Pinoy Expat Tennis Club dashed the hopes of Aljacs of Toyota Tennis Club in straight sets (8-6, 8-4, 8-5) in the lower mix event, NCB-GRP eliminated HIDADA Tennis Club in C category 8-6, 8-2, 8-7 (7-5) and JIS Tennis Club swept aside another Toyota Tennis Club entry in B2 category, Toyota FJ Cruiser 8-6, 8-5, 8-7 (7-5). The only surviving entry of Pinoy Expat Tennis Club, Zoom Zoom Mazda, kept its title aspirations as the Vic Alvaran and Sajid Khan tandem muscled their way with an 8-6 win over the tough Toyota Aljacs' tandem of Gerome Villegas and Ricky Delgado in the first doubles. Brimming with confidence, Choi Escober and Orlan Paco breezed past the Toyota Aljacs pair of Resty Cruz and James Ventic at 8-4 to place Zoom Zoom Mazda ahead 2-0, as Bong Mayoral and Walid fired the final nail against Aljacs' pair of Arnel Laparan and Almond Panganiban in the decisive third set for the the ticket to the semifinal round of the lower mix category. In Category C, NCB-GRP booked a seat in the semifinals as Fritz Perico and Narcing Del Socorro quelled the challenge of the top Hdada pair of Mon Manalac and Pons Hernandez at 8-6, and Ben Micu Jr. stamped his class over Rey Formilda at 8-2 in the first singles event to set the kill at 2-0. In the heart-stopping second doubles and crucial third set, the Hidada pair of Elmer Sto.Domingo and Roland Flores raced ahead to 4-0, but collapsed under pressure as the never-say-die tandem of Jun Loyola and Omar Gutlay of NCB-GRP rebounded with equal intensity to reduce the gap to 3-4 and proved steadier in the homestretch with a 7-5 match-clincher in the nerve-raking extended tie-breaker. Returning to the scene after a tournament absence, JIS Tennis Club made its presence felt as Rommel Nadela and Nor Casipe shot down the Gerome Villegas-Ben Consolation tandem of Toyota FJ Cruiser (8-6), while Rudil Mativo capitalized a 6-3 edge to complete an 8-5 conquer of hard-hitting Miro Ac in the first singles. In the third set, Sonny Valencia and Joel Sacal of JIS overhauled a 4-6 deficit with an 8-7 (7-5) turn-around win in a tiebreaker against Resty Cruz and Marlon Ordonio. In the higher mix event, Mediacom of Jeddah Tennis Organization eliminated Al-Shuman International of JIS Tennis Club in straight sets, and set a title match against SG Tennis Club, while Carlo Gavazzi kept its winning run by brushing aside another JIS Tennis Club entry in B1 category with a tough 3-1 tally to set up a final showdown with Elaf Group, which dethroned current title holder Jeddah Concrete Co.Ltd., in similar four scintillating sets at 3-1. Organized and managed by the Association of Tennis Clubs (Astec)-Jeddah, this event is principally sponsored by Arabian Aircraft Services Co. Ltd. (Arabasco). Co-sponsors are Deltaz, Adwaa Al-Tamayuz Contracting Co. Ltd., Skyfreight Forwarders, Malaysia Airlines and TFC (The Filipino Channel) Abs-Cbn. __
