KUWAIT CITY, Feb 8: The FTAK 2010 Spring Team Tennis Tournament kicked off Friday at the KOC Unity Tennis Centre in Ahmadi with over a hundred racquet-wielding members making up six teams taking part.
The brief opening ceremony, graced by a representative from the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, Omar Bashir Khalil, included the: parade of teams, welcome address by FTAK VP Randy Manalang, and the oath of amateurism.
The hand-over ceremony followed next with Warly Faner, representing outgoing FTAK president William Naoe, handing over the symbol of responsibility and authority to incoming prexy Tony Dezeda, and then the swearing-in of the 2010 FTAK officers with Omar Khalil administering the oath.
Khalil, after reading a message from Labor Attache Atty. Josephus Jimenez who couldn’t make it due to a prior commitment, then presented a framed certificate from the Labor Attache citing FTAK for excellence in community service.
Tony Dezeda, in his acceptance speech, thanked everyone for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading FTAK once again and gave his assurance that he will do everything in his capacity to honor the trust and exhorted everyone’s cooperation to accomplish the task.
The daughters of Marlon and Cristy Miguel, Ferdie and Gina Marasigan, Winston and Vilma Laboriante and Dewan and Becky Kabir entertained the crowd with modern dance numbers.
Omar Khalil, a tennis enthusiast himself, then performed the ceremonial serve to officially open the tournament.
Opening day hostilities saw the City Boys overwhelming AMEC, KOCTC surprising Mario’s Tigers and Mangaf Warriors denying the Diplomats.
City Boys won their first two assignments to set the tone of the match with Dodong Bag-ao and Ali Aligaen out-stroking Avi Jet and Jayantha 8-3 in B-B1 followed by Joseph Recreo and Boyong Mangunay’s 8-1 thrashing of Dave Back and Jet Pichayco in C-C1.
Julius Mag-usara and Bert Malaca briefly halted AMEC’s slide with their 8-6 triumph over Dodong Bag-ao and Franklin Mariano in B-B2 only to see Joseph Recreo and Ruel Naresma returning the favor, beating Mike Corre and Roger Sunico by the same 8-6 scoreline in their C-C2 tussle.
Magdi Al Arabi then teamed with Avi Jet to outscore Sammy Miclat and Klim Mariano 8-6 in A-B1. Irked, the City Boys came charging back, racking up four straight thru Bernie Dela Cruz/Sam Miclat’s walkover win in A-A; Marj Obidos/Mylene Moreno’s 8-4 defeat of Becky Kabir and Jocelyn Moreno in Ladies 1; Rodel Bernabe/Boyong Mangunay’s 8-3 thumping of Roger Sunico and Celso Cruz in C-C3; Ali Aligaen/Joel Yarte’s 8-2 win over Rene Opalla and Mike Corre in the replacement match in lieu of ladies 2.

Bert Malaca and Jet Pichayco saved AMEC from more blushes with their 8-6 downing of Michael Balayo and Vic Mendoza in B-C which was to be their last, as the City Boys came charging back, with Bernie and Vic Mendoza outlasting Magdi Al Arabi and Julius Mag-usara 8-7 in A-B2, while Rene Lindo and Dante Yoro drove in the last nail with an 8-4 win over Rene Opalla and Alfred Maquimot in C-C4.
After being on the losing end of things in their previous encounters, it was the KOCTC falcons’ turn to hand it to erstwhile tormentors Mario’s Tigers last Friday.
Things did not look good for the Tigers from the outset when their formidable pair of Oloy Payales and Jun Orozco were handed a sound 8-2 beating by Ravi Kumar and wily veteran Max Buanghug in the opening B-B1 match.
Jorge Vergara and Bryan Basinang evened things with their 8-1 mauling of Fahad Al Qattan and Atulkumar Dabhi in C-C1 but Ravi, this time paired with Ferdie Marasigan, easily trounced Tony Dezeda and Mar Del Rosario 8-4 in B-B2 but the Tigers leveled again thru Nats Delmo and Ruel Tayag’s 8-3 beating of Joel Chacon and Esmie Macalinao in C-C2.
Mario’s pulled ahead on Raed Al Saleem and Oloy Payales’ 8-4 defeat of Warly Faner and Max Buanghug in their A-B1 encounter but KOCTC pulled abreast once again when Warly and Marlon Miguel outpointed Tony Dezeda and Sonny Cajipe in the A-A pairs.

Vilma Laboriante and Gina Marasigan beat Vangie Dolor and Ghie De Perio 8-4 in Ladies 1 to hand the lead back to KOCTC but Cris Belanyo and B.N. Rao equalized by edging Joey Bartolome and Joel Jimenez 8-7 in tie-break in C-C3 before Vilma and Cristy Miguel beat Ghie and Bernice 8-4 in Ladies 2, Hassan Al Yousifi and Ferdie Cabrido trashed Mar Del Rosario and Noel Candolesas 8-2 in B-C and Marlon and Ferdie Marasigan pip Raed and Sonny 8-7 in A-B2 to seal the win, leaving Arced Condes and Junjie Geografo’s 8-4 beating of Mohammed Al Mutairi and Winston Laboriante moot of no consequence.
The Diplomat squad drew first blood via Rowx Bugas and Lando Villegas’ 8-5 defeat of Mangaf Warriors’ Rajiv Rajkhowa and Rodel Sembrano in the opening B-B1 match, only to see the latter racking up the next three matches:
Eric Babao and Sonny Robles proved the more consistent pair in their 8-4 downing of Lope Gallana and August Santos in C-C1, while Rajiv and Dewan Kabir completely shut out Romar Macagaling and Roy Laguda in their B-B2 encounter, and Eric again, with Ric Quider escaping 8-7 over Jovit Manzano and jay Sebandal in C-C2.

The greenshirts drew level with two straight wins on Randy Manalang/Lando Villegas’ 8-2 beating of William Naoe and Rodel Sembrano in A-B1, and Randy again, pairing with Hassan Mohammed winning by walkover in the A-A match when William Naoe’s partner Ashraf Al Rashidi withdrew.
But it did not deter the rest of the Warriors who went on to take the next three matches in ladies 1, C-C3 and ladies 2 with Marina and Annabelle Fermil whitewashing Suzie Al Mutawa and Bonnie Johnson 8-0; Edgar Cortez and Eric Alfafara winning 8-4 over Rene Manalang and Eugene Gemana; and Edgar Cortez and Sonny Roble beating Lope Gallana and Dodong Congayo 8-6 in the assigned match.
Ato Mondejar and August Santos outhit Ric Quider and Dewan Kabir 8-6 in B-C while Hassan Mohammed and Rowx Bugas won by default in A-B for their final win as Danny Bumanlag and Eric Alfafara sealed the Warrior’s win with an 8-6 decision over Jun Clamor and Greg Belisda.