SEMIS BOUND. Philippine Army's Jeson Patrombon makes a forehand return to No. 8 seed Jose Maria Tria during their quarterfinal match in the men's singles of the 39th Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open Tennis Championships at the PCA indoor shell court in Plaza Dilao, Paco, Manila on Thursday (Oct. 27, 2022). Patrombon won, 6-2, 6-1, to reach the semifinal round. (PNA photo by Jesus Escaros Jr.)
MANILA – Philippine Army's Jeson Patrombon downed No. 8 Jose Antonio Tria, 6-2, 6-1, on Thursday to reach the men's singles semifinal of the 39th Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open Tennis Championships at the PCA indoor shell court in Plaza Dilao, Paco, Manila.
The second-seeded Patrombon responded to the challenge put up by the Ateneo de Manila college freshman, who gave a gutsy performance throughout the match.
Patrombon's will be up against Guillermo Olaso, who defeated Jose Maria Pague, 6-4, 6-1.
Olaso has retired from professional tennis in 2018. The former world No. 167 has a tennis academy in Singapore.
"I'm ready to face anyone. I'll just focus on the match and do my best to win," said the 29-year-old Patrombon, who won the doubles title with Francis Casey Alcantara at the 2019 Manila SEA Games. He also pocketed the bronze medal in the men's singles.
Patrombon has swept the singles and doubles titles in the seven tournaments he joined this year, namely Palawan Pawnshop Open in Pampanga, Paranaque and Mati, Davao Oriental; Malita Open in Davao Occidental; Digos Open in Davao del Sur; Lapu-Lapu Open and Asmara Open in Banilad, Cebu.
Last May, Patrombon bagged the silver medal at the Vietnam SEA Games with Alcantara. He pocketed the doubles silver medal with US-based Ruben Gonzales and the singles bronze medal at the 2015 Singapore SEA Games.
Meanwhile, top seed and defending champion Johnny Arcilla and fourth seed Elbert Anasta scored contrasting victories to join Patrombon in the Final Four.
Arcilla, a former national player and coach, defeated unseeded and 2002 champion Joseph Victorino, 6-2, 6-3.
Anasta, on the other hand, pulled off a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over fifth seed Muthu Senthilkumar, an Indian national who is studying medicine in Cebu.
In the women's singles category, No. 1 seed Marian Capadocia stamped her class over Kayle Emana, 6-0, 6-1, to advance in the semifinal round.
Capadocia, eyeing a record eighth title, will take on No. 7 seed Alexa Joy Milliam, who rallied past Justine Hannah Maneja, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
The other semifinal match will feature second seed Janella Rose Prulla against the winner between qualifier Alexiera Santos and Miles Vitaliano.
The 17-year-old Prulla, who debuted at the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games, beat doubles partner Makeliah Nepomuceno, 6-3, 6-4, in the quarterfinal round.
Prulla, a Grade 12 student at First City Providential College in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan province, lost to Capadocia, 6-1, 6-0, in the 2019 final.
The PCA Open is offering cash prizes worth PHP200,000 to the men's singles champion and PHP100,000 to the women's singles winner. The doubles champions will receive PHP70,000 (men's) and PHP35,000 (women's). (PNA)
