Arcilla, Kinaadman seal Brookside Open title face-off
Johnny Arcilla and Charles Kinaadman hacked out a pair of three-set victories on Friday to set up a showdown for the Brookside Open National Tennis Championships singles crown at the Brookside Hills courts in Cainta, Rizal.
Top-seeded Arcilla continued to roll back the years, thwarting No. 3 Vicente Anasta, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2, in the semifinals while fourth-seeded Kinaadman upset second seed and doubles player Jose Maria Pague, 1-6, 6-4 , 6-1, in the lower half of the 64-player draw in the Group A tournament presented by Dunlop.
They are contesting the crown today (Saturday).
Arcilla and Kinaadman will likewise battle for the doubles trophy in the week-long event that serves as part of the PPS-PEPP circuit set up by Palawan Pawnshop President/CEO Bobby Castro. The former and partner Ronard Joven beat back Nilo Ledama and Noel Damian Jr., 7-5, 3-6, 10-2, while the latter and Pague routed Hilbert San Jose and Kristian Tesorio, 6-1, 6-2. semi.
Arcilla, the 9-time PCA Open champion seeking a follow-up to his victories in Puerto Princesa and San Carlos, Negros Occidental, crushed Loucas Fernandez, 6-1, 6-3, in the singles quarters, but after routing Anasta in the first . trailing a four-game run from a 3-1 lead, he struggled in the next, allowing Anasta to force a decision.
Anasta surprised Arcilla by breaking him in the first game in the second frame, held serve and broke the Davis Cup veteran again in the third before holding serve again for a 4-0 lead.
Arcilla took the fifth on serve, but Anasta won the next two games to send the match to a third set.
After the duo exchanged serves, Arcilla reasserted her will and broke Anasta and then emerged from a hold-hold-hold duel by breaking her rival again in the seventh en route to victory for another shot at the crown in the Palawan-sponsored event Pawn Shop-Palawan Express Pera Padala, Rep. Jack Duavit, BHTC President Allan del Castillo, Ret. PNP Dir. Gen. Oscar Calderon, Ret. Gen. Louizo Ticman and Selective Security Services.
Kinaadman, who disposed of Ronard Joven, 6-1, 6-3, in the quarters, battled back from a lopsided opening-set loss by breaking Pague in the fourth game of the second set for a 3-1 lead. Pague, winner of the Buglasan Open last October but who withdrew injured in the final against Arcilla at the Pintaflores Festival in San Carlos, hit back in the fifth and the pair traded serves until Kinaadman broke again in the 10th in the shutout- way to force a decision.
The 24-year-old ace from Lapu-Lapu City, who beat Arcilla in the semifinals, then took the crown from Gov. Jubahib Cup last September, held serve and broke Pague to take a 2-0 lead after giving up the third game on serve, Kinaadman broke back in the fourth and swept the next three games to complete the come-from-behind victory .
