Underlining their reputation as big time expatriates team tennis events organizers, the Association of Tennis Clubs (ASTEC) - Jeddah, launched the 1st Prince Tennis Challenge-15th Astec Team Tennis Tournament, with a big splash at the tennis courts of Albilad Hotel here. Organized in cooperation with Deltaz (formerly Racquet Shop) of Delta Marketing Co., as the main sponsor, the year-ending biennial tennis festival will be played simultaneously at the tennis courts of Albilad Hotel, Jeddah Sheraton Hotel, and JIS Tennis Club. A record 84 team entries, comprising 64 in the men's division, and 20 in the ladies division, confirmed participation in the tournament. Co-sponsors supporting the event are Creative Edge, Al-Saman Maintenance & Construction Co., Sky Freight Forwarders & TFC (The FilipinoChannel) ABS-CBN. Capping the well-attended opening ceremonies, was the awaited Class A doubles exhibition match between Filipino tennis icons Rico Gonzales and Manny Valleramos and the doubles tandem of US-trained and reigning Mazda Open champion Egyptian Hisham Homeda and Saudi Davis cup star Fahmi Saleh. Unleashing more lethal and consistent ground strokes, Homeda and Saleh raced upfront to 3-0 in the 10 games-set league format match. Finding their range, the Gonzales-Valleramos duo broke the ice at 3-1, but remained trailing at 5-2, 6-3, 8-4. Homeda and Saleh moved within a game of clinching the match at 9-4, but the Filipinos refused to yield and came closer at 5-9, but eventually yielded as their opponents proving a tough nut-to-crack, secured the match in the next turn for a final score of 10-5. Results of first and second round eliminations: Men's division: Category C, Group 1: JBTP1 def. C130-1 4-1, JRTC2 def. SPTC2 3-2, SPTC def. Al-Baik Express 4-1. Group 2: JBTP2 def. JRTC-1 3-2, C130-2 def. Toyota-2 3-2, JIS-1 def. Toyota2 5-0, Al-Baik Tual def. JBTP2 3-2. Group3: Pinoy Xpat def. Al-Arabi 3-2, NCB Alloy def. APO 5-0, KAMC def. Pinoy Xpat 4-1, KAMC def. JIS-2 4-1. Group 4: Zuhair Fayez def. NCB-Atenista 4-1, Shelter Muller def. C-130-4 3-2. Category B2- Group 1: JIS def. Astec 5-0, JBTP def. Toyota1 3-2, Pinoy Xpat def. JIS-3 4-1, Pinoy Xpat def. SCTC 3-2; Group2: SETE def. JIS-4 5-0. Category B1: Al-Mabani def. Saudia 5-0, JBTP def. NCB-JIS 4-1. Lower Mix Event: Group 1: JBTP def. KAUH. Group 2: Toyota-1 def. Bicol Express 5-0. __
