Cruz reaffirms status as PH’s no. 1 with Flexible Cup tablenet win

TABLE tennis teen phenom Kheith Rhynne Cruz dominated the field composed of grizzled veterans to win the Women’s Open class title in the 10th Flexible Cup International Table Ten nis Championships over the weekend at the Robinsons Mall in Novaliches, Que zon City.

Playing under the Joola Philippines, the 16-year-old Cruz, the youngest player to hold the no.1 ranking in the Philippine Women’s Team, proved she was a force to reckon with, beating Lee Xi Nin of Gold Medal Malaysia in a tightly fought championship duel, 2-1, to clinch the crown in the event sponsored by Flexible Packaging Products, Inc, and organized by the Table Tennis Association for National Development.

Long-time national member and Cruz’s teammate Rose Jean Fadol and Angel Joyce Laude of De La Salle University claimed runner-up honors in the tournament participated in by over 200 players from 30 teams.

“We’re really happy and proud of Kheith Rhynne’s performances throughout her young career since maisama namin siya sa TATAND program. From being a struggling junior campaigner and now the country’s no.1 player at the young age of 16, she has come a long way. We in TATAND are all out in supporting her quest to make it to Olympics, like her childhood idol Ian Lariba,” said Lim.

The TATAND chief likewise, shared the limelight as part of the Joo - la Philippines team, along with Cruz, Fadol, Joshua Manlapaz and World Championship campaigner John Russel Misala which claimed runner-up honor in thr Team Open class.

“For a decade, todo suporta sa table tennis ang Flexible, kaya kami sa ay talagang taos-puso ang pasasalamt, gayundin sa mga team na nakiisa sa atin,” added Lim.

Team Xiom Indonesia composed of Luki Purkani, Zahru Nailufar, Gusti Syaful and Yon Mardiyono defeated Sunsports Red Singapore, bannered by Josh Chua, Yin Jing Yuan, and Tay Jit Kiat and the UST1, manned by John Michael Castro, Alvin Menard Sevilla, Eljey Dan Tormis at John Dayl Que.

The rising Puerto Princesa, Palawan star then held off Cabaral, 7-5, 3-6, 104, in the 18-U semis, then repeated over Barrera, 6-2, 6-2, to match his two-title romps in the Iloilo and Roxas City stops of the country’s longest-talent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/ CEO Bobby Castro.

The top-ranked Divinagracia, on the other hand, stamped her class in 16-U division, foiling Jana Diaz, 6-2,

6-4, in the finals then as the No. 2 seed, rapped No. 1 Jufe-Ann Cocoy, 6-2, 6-3, in the 18-U title clash to share MVP honors with Baisa, who is expected to take the top spot in the boys’ top two age brackets when the new UTP (United Tennis Philippines) ranking is released next week.

Other winners in the tournament sponsored by Mayor Albee Benitez were Iloilo’s Francisco De Juan III, Clemente Barrera III from Tayasan, Negros Oriental, La Carlota’s Kathlyn Bugna, Ormoc’s Kenzo Brodeth and Queen Villa, also from La Carlota.

De Juan hacked out a tough 5-4(4), 4-5(5), 11-9 decision over Clemente Barrera to match his title feat in the 10-U class in Roxas City; Barrera got back at De Juan, 6-4, 6-2, in the 12-U finals; No. 2 Bugna toppled top seed Alexa Cruspero, 6-3, 6-4, in the girls’ 12-U championship; Brodeth repulsed Andrian Rodriguez, 2-6, 6-1, 10-8, to snare the boys’ 14-U trophy; and Villa blasted Cruspero, 6-1, 6-2, in the girls’ 14-U finals of the event backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).

Meanwhile, the chase for top honors and ranking points shifts to Bais City, Negros Oriental on Feb. 2-7. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.