SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE--TOP SEED Patrick John Tierro showed no respect for veteran Jesse Lapore, 6-0, 6-0, while arch rival Johnny Arcilla stayed on course for a projected title showdown by stopping Yannick Guba, 6-2, 6-3, to enter the semifinals of the Subic Bay Invitationals Thursday night here.

Tierro, the country's number one player, took only 40 minutes to demolish Lapore, who at 44 is still ranked eighth nationally. Tierro also did not surrender a game in the quarterfinals against youthful Leyan Moncera Wednesday night in this week-long event featuring the country's top 16 male netters.

"This is the first time that someone made me feel that my tennis career is over," said Lapore. "PJ just knocked me out cold the moment I stepped on the court. PJ is world-class material."

Tierro's semifinals foe in this tournament sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier and Le Soleil Boracay Hotel and supported by Philta, SBMA and Dunlop-Slazenger, is No. 4 seed Chiemil Mantua, who stopped the winning run of local bet Nico Riego de Dios, 6-4, 6-4.

Arcilla, who lost to Tierro in the Olivarez Cup men's singles final, tackles fellow Davis Cupper and third seed Rolando Ruel, who whipped sixth seed Elbert Anasta, 6-3, 6-3.

Tierro and Arcilla are using this event as preparations for the coming SEA Games. The other members of the national team are Fil-Am standouts Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino.

RP team team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier said: "I am glad to see PJ's development gaining momentum and it's good the bar is being raised to another level."

Lhuillier has teamed up with Beeyong Sison to train and develop future international stars at the Subic Bay International Tennis Center.

Tierro said he wasn't conscious of blanking Lapore. "I wasn't even looking at the scoreboard. I was just focusing on my routine and execution knowing that Jesse can comeback at you anytime," said the 6-foot-1 Tierro, a veteran of the ITF Indonesian Satellite Masters.

Story by Dennis U. Eroa, sports editor of Inquirer Libre, a sister publication of INQ7.net