By: Villamor C. Visaya Jr.
(Published in its print edition on July 5 – 11, 2025)
WHILE her Cinderella run was amazing when she disposed World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the tennis semifinal round, American tennis star Amanda Anisimova was a letdown, a virtual “newbie” for Polish Iga Swiatek, who shamed her with a 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon victory on Saturday.
When I watched Anisimova’s battle against Sabalenka on television, I expected a very spectacular fight against Swiatek.
I was dumbfounded. Shocked with her double-bagel defeat to Swiatek.
Well for her, she managed to reach the semifinal round. Nothing to be ashamed of except that the championship round should have been more entertaining than anyone watching at the Wimbledon Centre Court think. “Frozen by nerves,” she claims.
Sounds a good alibi after running out of gas. A better Anisimova should come next year.
*****
The newest development on the death of 44-year-old Juan Paolo Tantoco has opened a “can of worms.”
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner has reported that Tantoco’s cause of death was listed as “cocaine effects” and included “probable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease” as other significant condition.
The Rustan’s Group of Companies and Sta. Elena Golf and Real Estate Development executive was then pronounced dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 8.
He was then in Los Angeles as part of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’s delegation for the Manila International Film Festival on March 4 to 7, whose tribute gala was held at the same hotel the night before.
For those who did not know, Tantoco is the husband of Dina Arroyo, deputy social secretary for First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.
Reports have it that Tantoco was Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Links Golf Development, Inc. (PLGDI) and Chief Security and Procurement Officer of Sta Elena Golf and Country Estate prior to his death.
We see developments and sidebar stories to crop up in the next days.#
