Johnny Arcilla took control early and never gave Ronard Joven room for a comeback, scoring an emphatic 6-4, 6-2 victory to nail the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Pintaflores Festival Open Tennis Championship crown at the San Carlos City Tennis Club over the weekend.

Arcilla broke Joven right in their opening game, taking the next three points after a 15-all count before the many-time PCA Open winner, who eased out Fritz Verdad in the semifinals, went on to trade serving turns with his doubles partner, including a romp in the 10th game.

Joven, who survived Leander Lazaro in three to gain a crack at the crown, held serve in his first two turns in the second game but Arcilla wore him down and broke again in the fifth and seventh games before hitting back-to-back aces to start the eighth game en route to victory.

Arcilla, also a Davis Cup veteran, took the top P40,000 purse while Joven settled for P20,000 in the week-long tournament.

“Arcilla continued to be an inspiration to our young players with his talent and discipline, staying in shape through all these years,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Meanwhile, action in the PPS-PEPP age-group tennis tournaments shifts to Capiz on Nov. 5-8 at the Dumalag Tennis Club also held as part of the Dumalag Festival. Registration is ongoing.

Arcilla made it a twin kill as he and Joven ruled the doubles event with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Vicente Anasta and Arvin Ruel. The Arcilla-Joven pair held off Roel Capangpangan and Kim Saraza in the semis, 6-1, 7-5, while Anasta and Ruel toppled the Leander Lazaro-Verdad tandem, 6-4, 6-2.*

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