La Salle, Ateneo trip foes in UAAP tennis

La Salle and Ateneo got off to a fiery start with convincing victories to open up their respective bids in the 73rd UAAP men's tennis tournament Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. The Green Archers, last season's second placers, blanked University of the East (UE), 5-0, while the Blue Eagles defeated University of the Philippines (UP), 4-1. Defending champion University of Santo Tomas drew a bye and will begin its campaign for a second straight title and seventh overall crown in nine seasons on Sunday against Ateneo at 9 a.m. La Salle leaned on its rookies to score the easy win. Ernesto Pantua and Michael Basco won their respective singles matches against UE's Neil Paez and Charles Ivan Maneja by the same score, 6-0, 6-0, while fellow rookie Alberto Lorenzo Villamor downed Mark Soriano, 6-1, 6-0. In the doubles, last year's Rookie of the Year Pemrik Alina teamed up with Ed Amor to beat Andre Orilla and Michael Destura, 6-2, 6-1, while David De Koenigswarter partnered with Juan Fidel Regis to bring down Michael Belen and Prince Orilla, 6-1, 6-0, and complete the Archers' sweep. Ateneo's Christian Canlas, Mark Jaypee Balce and Julius Lagman won their respective singles matches against their opponents from UP. Canlas defeated Dennis Vitaliano, 6-2, 6-2, Balce drubbed Franklin Encarnacion, 6-2, 6-1, and Lagman downed Chandi Lao, 6-1, 6-4. The duo of Leyan Moncera and rookie Andre Banate won over UP's Julian Mendoza and Leandro Fernandez, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the doubles. The Maroons scored their lone win when Miguel Belda and Austin Chan bested Jose Lorenzo Opulencia and Mark Joseph Trinos, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5). The Green Archers go for their second win against UP Sunday at 9 a.m. – JVP, KY, GMANews.TV