Top seed Digvijay Singh and second-ranked AJ Lim dismantled their respective rivals to move within a victory of a highly anticipated championship showdown, anchoring a thrilling men’s singles semifinal picture as the P2-million Palawan Open 2026 reached a fever pitch at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Battling through oppressive, blistering summer heat, Singh sustained his ruthless form. The 6-foot-3 ace from Haryana – a multiple ITF World Tennis Tour champion and Davis Cup veteran – cruised past Jarell Edangga, 6-0, 1-0 (ret.), before smothering John Kendrick Bona, 6-1, 6-0, to claim the first Final Four slot and a shot at the top P300,000 purse.
Singh will next face No. 4 Christopher Papa of the US, setting up a highly-charged 4 p.m. Friday clash of power and style. Papa advanced by deflating local hopeful Arthur Pantino with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 triumph. Pantino had earlier injected drama into the tournament by outlasting India’s fifth-seeded Parth Aggarwal in a three-set quarterfinal thriller, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6), but ultimately ran out of gas against Papa’s unrelenting power and superb court coverage.
The lower half of the 64-player draw promises equal theater. The multi-titled Lim thwarted a spirited challenge from Casey Alcantara, 6-3, 6-4, to book a 5 p.m. Friday semis duel with No. 3 Eric Jed Olivarez, who repulsed John Benedict Aguilar, 6-4, 6-1.
While Lim has historically dominated Olivarez – most recently at the Philta Men’s Open finals last month – the latter enters the match exuding confidence following a strong quarterfinal run in China last week.
Over in the women’s singles, unranked veteran Marian Capadocia continued her fairytale run with a 6-2, 6-3 reversal of No. 8 Althea Ong.
The 30-year-old, 10-time PCA Open champion proved she can still trade blows with the country’s younger crop by pulling off a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 upset of No. 2 Stefi Aludo.
In the semis, she will face No. 6 Louraine Jallorina, who outlasted Annika Diwa, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
On the other side of the women’s bracket, top seed Tennielle Madis had to dig deep to defuse a stubborn upset bid by Elizabeth Abarquez, 6-3, 6-4. Madis moved on to face No. 4 Kaye-Ann Emana, who drubbed Niña Alcala, 6-1, 6-3.
The intensity trickled over to the doubles events, maximizing the entertainment value for the roaring tennis crowd.
In men’s division, the tandem of Alcantara and Papa routed Kenzo Brodeth and John Velez, 6-3, 6-1, to arrange a semis faceoff with Lim and Ronard Joven, who survived a 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 cliffhanger against Noel Damian and Pantino.
Meanwhile, Olivarez and Vicente Ledama thumped Vicente Anasta and RJ Saga, 6-4, 6-2, to set up a Final Four duel with Richard Bautista and Eric Jay Tangub, 6-2, 6-1 winners over Aguilar and Bona.
In women’s doubles, top-seed Madis and Aludo rolled into the semis with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Marielle Jarata and Joanna Peña, advancing to face Diwa and Mikaela Vicencio. The Emana siblings, Kaye-Ann and Mica, also advanced after clobbering Izabelle Camcam and Capadocia, 6-1, 6-2, setting up a clash against Abarquez and Guysie Guardo.
In mixed doubles, Alcantara and Capadocia team up to face Pantino and Aludo in the semis, while Joven and Madis will take on the dangerous duo of Aggarwal and Rovie Baulete.
–//
