MANILA, Philippines - Jeson Patrombon survived an opening set scare and beat Emmett Egger of the United States, 7-6 (5), 6-2, to march into the third round of the Sarawak Chief Minister's Cup Tennis Championships in Kuching, Malaysia. After a tight first set battle, the top-picked Patrombon, who earned an opening round bye, attacked ferociously to win the second set with nary a trouble. Up next for Patrombon is Australian Nick Kyrgios, who scored a 6-0, 6-2 win over Vasile-Alexandro Ghilea of Romania. Patrombon, currently ranked No. 10 in the world, and Kyrgios had never met but the world No. 110 Australian is best known for his Round-of-16 Finish in the Australian Open Juniors last January. -Kristel Satumbaga
ZAMBALES MEET TARTS TODAY
CANDELARIA, Zambales - Some of the strongest contenders in Philippine sports are set to join today the launching of the Zambales Multi-Sports Festival, a three-day, seven-discipline program designed to boost government efforts to carve a tourism niche for this province. Jun Omar Ebdane, Zambales provincial administrator and overall festival chairman, said the various races and sports competitions that will last until Sunday will be attended by triathletes and sports enthusiasts from as far as Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Manila, and Camarines Sur. Among the more familiar names who are expected here are reigning Filipino elite ironman champion Niel Catiil, Canadian triathlete Matt O'Halloran, American runner Chris Aerosmith, Asian junior cycling bronze medalist Rustom Lim of Nueva Ecija, and rising Zambales triathlete John Chicano, who is just 19 years old.
FRAYNA TOPS PACE TOURNEY
Fourteen-year-old Janelle Mae Frayna tallied 4.5 of the possible five points to top the second leg of the 2011 PACE-NCA-NCFP age group chess championship last weekend at SM Rosales in Pangasinan. Frayna, who's a high school junior at FEU-FERN College, defeated four out of five competitors, while coming up with a draw in the fourth round against Pangasinan chess wizard Mark Aquino. Other winners were 11-year-old Romulo Curioso in the 14-under category, 10-year-old Daniel John Lemi in the 11-under category, and seven-year-old Jamler Luis Uy in the 8-under category. The winners there will represent the country in the 2011 Singapore Youth Festival set on Dec. 26 to 31.
DRAG RACING IN BATANGAS
Drag racing action turns even more dramatic as huge field is expected to show up in the second leg of the 2011 National Drag Racing Championship Southern Series tomorrow at the Batangas Racing Circuit Drag Strip in Rosario, Batangas. The title hunt remains wide open as none of the drivers, not even eight-time champion Jonathan Tiu has dominated the event supported by PAGCOR Sports, Yokohama Philippines, Chequered Flag, Racing Beat@Wave 89.1 FM, Aeromed, and sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philipines. John Michael Dumaraos is eyeing a back-to-back win with high hopes of repeating his feat against top favorites in the Quick 8 division. Dumaraos bagged his first career win with a stroke of luck up against strong contender Norman de la Peña of QSP and teammate Edwardo de la Pena in the Southern Series kickoff at the BRC Drag Strip last month.
P1-M POT UP IN PBARS TILT
The country's leading and rising badminton stars get a chance to vie for big prizes and ranking points when the PBaRS (Philippine Badminton Ranking System) tournament kicks off its inaugural season on March 27 at PowerSmash in Makati. A total prize pot of P700,000 will be up for grabs in the centerpiece Open division with the winners in the men's and ladies singles getting P70,000 each and the doubles and the mixed doubles champions receiving P70,000 per pair. The runners-up will receive P35,000 individually and by pairs in the doubles while the semifinalists and quarterfinalists will take home P10,500 and P3,500 each for singles and as doubles pairs, respectively.
