THE ATENEO Men’s Lawn Tennis Team (AMLTT) finally broke its four-game losing streak after prevailing against the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons with a 3-2 win. The contest was held earlier today at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in the City of Manila.
The AMLTT stands at fifth in the standings with a 2-5 win-loss record in the second round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87.
Seasoned veteran JJ Llavore began today’s bout in a duel against Adamson’s Angelo James Rosales. Despite his greater experience over the young Falcon, Llavore struggled to tame Rosales as he lost 2-6 in both sets, allowing Adamson to draw first blood in the team-tie score, 0-1.
Ateneo Team Captain Stef Gurria stepped onto the adjacent court in an extensive three-hour rematch against AdU’s Ramon Bentillo. Repeating the results of their match during the tournament’s opener, Gurria and Bentillo tied with one set apiece leading to a deciding third set. With an easy 6-1 second set win, Gurria cranked up the gears for the tie-break and outclassed the Soaring Falcon, 6-3, earning Ateneo’s first team-tie score of the match, 1-1.
Eager to build momentum from his win in the Battle of Katipunan, co-captain JD Velez took on the third singles showdown against Miecos Candelasa. Despite an early 6-4 win in the first set, Velez succumbed to Candelasa’s shots in the second set, 2-6. Although coming from a huge set loss, the co-captain maintained his composure and dominated the third set, 6-3, to deny Adamson the lead and claim a 2-1 team-tie advantage.
Aidyll Ignacio and Gian Camingue then joined forces for the first doubles match against AdU’s Kyle Roble and Emmanuel Pedrosa. The Katipunan-based squad made quick work of their counterparts as they crushed the San Marcelino-based pair in both sets, 6-1 and 6-2, to claim Ateneo’s third team-tie score and secure the win, 3-1.
The battle against the Falcons concluded with JB Cuarto and Rafa Mendoza clashing with Kurt Tristan Correos and Nikko Lumahang. Unlike the first doubles match, the result of the second doubles went in the opposite direction as the Blue Eagle pair stumbled against the Soaring Falcons in both sets, 2-6 and 1-6, leading to a final 3-2 team-tie score.
The Blue and White will look to build on their winning momentum as they take on the National University Bulldogs on Wednesday, March 19, at 7:00 AM in the same venue.
Team-tie Score:
Ateneo-AdU: 3-2
Results:
First Singles: Rosales (AdU) def. Llavore (Ateneo) – 6-2, 6-2
Second Singles: Gurria (Ateneo) def. Bentillo (AdU) – 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Third Singles: Velez (Ateneo) def. Candelasa (AdU) – 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
First Doubles: Ignacio and Camingue (Ateneo) def. Roble and Pedrosa (AdU) – 6-1, 6-2
Second Doubles: Correos and Lumahang (AdU) def. Cuarto and Mendoza (Ateneo) – 6-2, 6-1
Current Standings:
- UST Male Tennisters (6-1)
- NU Bulldogs (6-1)
- UP Fighting Maroons (6-2)
- UE Red Warriors (5-3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (2-5)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (1-6)
- DLSU Green Tennisters (0-7)
