Veteran Vicente Anasta braces for a spirited battle against fellow veteran campaigners and a slew of rising stars as they slug it out in the PPS-PEPP Escudero Cup 2019 beginning today at the Aera Tennis Club in San Pablo City.
Mark Alcoseba, Noel Damian Jr., Deo Talatayod, Emmanuel Fuelas, Edgardo Angara, Keno Enriquez and siblings Aldrin and Elvin Geluz toughen up the cast in the 32-player draw of what used to serve as one of the country’s premier tournaments making its comeback after a 13-year absence.
Though some of the top guns have begged off to honor previous commitments, the depth of the competing field remains as talent-laden as ever with Anasta, from Himaymaylan, Negros Occidental, expecting a fierce challenge from the rest of the bidders in the week-long event presented by Royal Air and backed by Rep. Sol Aragones and Villa Escudero.
“The event’s revival comes at a time when tennis is enjoying a tremendous boom with tournaments held every week particularly this summer,” said Bobby Castro, president/CEO of Palawan Pawnshop, whose year-long, nationwide Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala circuit has continued to provide the sport a wide base of talents, especially from the countryside.
Meanwhile, listup is ongoing for the PPS-PEPP Brookside Hills Open on May 13-19 in Cainta, Rizal while the two-weekend PPS-PEPP UP National Student Open (Valenzuela) will be played on May 18-19 and on May 25-26.