Defending champion Johnny Arcilla, perhaps one of oldest players in the tournament, gave young opponent

Nick Magaway a neat lesson with a 6-1, 6-0 win on Saturday at the start of the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open at the PCA claycourts in Paco, Manila.

Arcilla, who played many times for the Philippine national team, needed less than an hour to wrap up the match as he showed his readiness to defend his crown. He will face Nino Salvador in the next round.

The unseeded Salvador also cruised smoothly into the next round with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Terence Estrope.

The men’s champion of the event – the country’s biggest tennis event – gets the top purse of P100,000.

“Mas confident at kumpiyansa ako ngayong taon. May palo naman siya (Magaway), kaso dahil bata, takot lang kapag nakaharap ng mas experienced sa kanya,” said Arcilla, who credited his improving performance on two Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Futures events which he participated in India early this year.

Arcilla, who is gunning for his fifth crown in the annual tournament, got a surprise when he was broken in the second game of the first set.

Alarmed, Arcilla raised his level of game a notch higher to frustrate Magaway.

Earlier, fellow Davis Cupper Elbert Anasta posted an easy 6-0, 6-1 victory over Keff Gamana.

Anasta, a member of the RP squad that won over New Zealand in the Asia Oceania Zone Group II Davis Cup final tie last September, proved too classy for his opponent as he piled up points behind his superb groundstrokes.

Anasta will face either Rollyto Litang and junior netter Leander Lazaro in the next round.

Fourth pick Celestino Solon also made his presence felt by humbling qualifier Roderick Agna, 7-6 (8), 6-0, while No. 5 Ralph Kevin Barte easily trounced another qualifier, Richard Inciong, 6-2, 6-1.

Sixth seed Rolando Ruel Jr. shared the day’s limelight with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Rommel Openiano, even as No. 7 Ronald Joven dumped Charlie Niu, 6-1, 6-2.

Other winners were Kyle Cordero, who blanked Isidore Lascuna, 6-0, 6-0; Nino Salvador, who tripled Terence Estrope, 6-2, 6-3, and Antonio Sagansay III, who whipped Jurence Mendoza, 6-3, 6-3.

Other results saw Peter Egos beat Michael Tamayo, 6-4, 6-3; Gilbert Estrada, who clobber Pemrick Alina, 6-0, 6-1 and Roland Kraut, who beat Ronald Dazo, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Defending champion Johnny Arcilla is playing at presstime against Nick Magaway, while last year’s runner-up and Davis Cupper Patrick John Tierro is battling with qualifier and Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) vice president Randy Villanueva.