FORMER tennis prodigy Alberto Lim makes his much-awaited return to competitive play in the Brookside Open National Championships beginning Monday at the Brookside Hills courts in Cainta, Rizal.
Lim, who has dominated the junior circuit and
vied in a number of Grand Slam junior events even reaching the second round of the Australian Open in 2017, went on a hiatus because of illness but has since worked his way back to form in time for this week’s championship backed by Rep. Michael John “Jack” Duavit. But the former singles champion will have his hands full in his first competition after the pandemic, facing off with Kenrik Ng at 9 a.m. in one of the matches kicking off the Group A tournament organized by Brookside Tennis Club president Allan del Castillo and held under the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) tennis program put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Multi-titled Jose Maria Pague, Vicente Anasta, Nilo Ledama, Ronard Joven, Noel Damian, John Mari Altiche, John Tomacruz and Loucas Fernandez banner the 64-player draw that also includes Eric Tangub, Alexis Acabo, Alberto Villamor, Noel Salupado, Rollie Anasta, Chat Conta, Marco Macalintal and Elvin Geluz.
Also on tap are the Legends competitions set May 5 to 7 and the Juniors play from May 11 to 14. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Brice Baisa, coming off a string of two-title romps in the PPS-PEPP juniors, also levels up as he takes on Mateo Rivas at 8 a.m. Other first round clashes pit John Kendrick Bona against Carlos Miguel Angeles, Juan Pablo Gonzaga versus Miguel Iglupas, Martin Lopez against Rey Pascua, Herald Aton versus Jay Caiman, Adan Carbonilla against Hans Villespin, and Nikko Lumahang versus Sean Manubay in the lower half of the draw.
John Renest Sonsona, meanwhile, battles John Eric Ayson, Lance Fernandez tangles with Francisco Santos, Zhul Pantaran mixes it up with Jude Ceniza, Marc Suson trades shots with Carlos Santiago, Roy Tan collides with Harvey Gilbuena, Eury Gaspar tests Juan Carlos Lapore’s mettle, Samuel Davila faces off with Hans Asistio, and Vince Serna takes on Nicolas Gutierrez in the other first round matches in the upper bracket.
Anasta and Pague, on the other hand, banner the men’s doubles cast with Ledama and John Steven Sonsona gaining the No. 2 seeding followed by the Damian-Villamor and Lim-Bryan Saarenas pairs.