Singh, Lim crush foes in Palawan Open kickoff
MANILA, Philippines — The top guns of the Palawan Open 2026 unleashed an overwhelming display of power and resolve during Sunday's kickoff, dismantling their unfancied rivals to signal a ruthless start to the blue-ribbon event at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.Bannering the heavy-handed onslaught was top seed Digvijay Pratap Singh of India, who barely worked up a sweat in dispatching local challenger Ethan Cablitas with a solid 6-0, 6-0 shutout. The ATP-ranked star advanced effortlessly to the second round against Jeremiah Latorre, who moved on following a 7-5, 1-0 (ret.) victory over Kian Sanchez.Matching Singh's clinical precision in the lower half of the 64-player draw, No. 2 seed Alberto "AJ" Lim Jr. likewise served notice of his title aspirations. The local favorite dominated Adrian Cagitlan with his own commanding shutout victory.Third-ranked Eric Jed Olivarez, coming off a stellar quarterfinal run in China, dropped only two games in a 6-1, 6-1 dismantling of Raphael Villanueva. Meanwhile, fourth seed Christopher Papa of the US effortlessly advanced to the next round via a walkover win over Isaac Lim.The foreign contingent continued to flash their supreme form and elite pedigree, looming as dangerous spoilers capable of spoiling the local aces' championship ambitions. Fifth-seeded Aggarwal Parth of India left Joshua Ferrer clueless in another 6-0, 6-0 shutout, banking on a steady baseline game that typifies the formidable international threat.Alongside Parth, Papa brings a tactical, big-serving American style built on high-pressure execution that could easily derail the homegrown favorites. Both the Indian powerhouses and the American standout have laid down a marker, signaling that the road to the crown will go through a fierce international gauntlet.Despite the foreign threat, the local roster stood their ground with dominant victories of their own. No. 6 John Benedict Aguilar drubbed Joshua Idanan-Diva, 6-1, 6-1, while seventh-ranked Nilo Ledama clobbered junior standout Miguel Lagac III, 6-3, 6-1, and No. 8 Vicente Anasta bundled out Marco Sunday, 6-0, 6-3.Other local standouts cruising into the second round include No. 9 Arthur Pantino, who held off Marc Jarata, 6-2, 6-4; John Kendrick Bona, who crushed Pablo Gonzaga, 6-0, 6-0; and Ronard Joven, who foiled John Christopher Sonsona, 7-6(5), 6-1.Multi-titled Casey Alcantara also advanced after sweeping past JB Aquino, 6-0, 6-1, joined by Jarell Edangga, Lance Fernandez, Noel Salupado and Loucas Fernandez, who all completed successful opening-round hurdles.While these seeded bets are tipped to sustain their hot streak in the second round, the real fireworks are anticipated in the third round. This crucial Round of 16 phase promises highly-charged, blockbuster collisions where the top-ranked Filipino stars will finally go head-to-head against the elite international spoilers.With action expected to reach a fever pitch as the heavyweights collide, the stakes could not be higher. The remaining contenders are locked in a high-octane race for the coveted P300,000 winner's purse in this top-tier men's singles event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Gentry Timepieces, and Bagong Pilipinas.Meanwhile, the chase for the women’s singles crown got underway on Monday. Top talents Tennielle Madis, Steffi Aludo, Tiffany Nocos, and Kaye-Ann Emana are all heavily tipped to hurdle their opening assignments and build momentum for tougher battles ahead.The week-long festival, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), also features men’s, women’s and mixed doubles events.Meanwhile, Palawan Group of Companies founder and chairman Bobby Castro revealed plans to turn the Open into an annual fixture rotating across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to discover fresh regional talent. TMT
