JANA DIAZ and Kendrick Bona go all-out for potential double victories anew in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Rep. Len Naguiat National Junior Tennis Championships beginning Thursday at the South City Homes Recreational courts in Biñan, Laguna.
The duo bagged the 16-under titles and MVP honors in the Escudero Cup in San Pablo City in the same province in the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop.
The Bacoor City pride Diaz also shared the 18-under diadem with Chloe Mercado in San Pablo City after rains washed out their final duel.
Diaz faces tough challengers this week, including Beatrice Panganiban, Joy Ansay, Anika Manalo, Sandra Bautista and Selina Go.
The six also banner the 16-under roster that includes young Maristella Torrecampo, Ave Policarpio and Ronielle Oliveros, while Ansay and Torrecampo loom as the top contenders for the 14-under crown in the tournament serving as part of country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Torrecampo, meanwhile, is fancied to run away with the 12-under plum for the second straight week.
Bona, from Puerto Princesa, is also bracing for a big fightback from top seed Reign Maravilla, who lost to Lexious Cruz in the Escudero Cup, along with Frank and France Dilao in what promises to be a fierce battle for the boys’ 16-under championship.
Maravilla, Cruz and the Dilao siblings are also expected to crowd Bona in 18-under play headlined by Vince Serna with Kurt Balena and Antonio Ng, Jr. also hoping to pull off a surprise in the week-long event supported by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating.
The boys’ 14-U title, on the other hand, will be disputed by Tristan Licayan, Gavin Kraut, Zachary Morales and Cruz, while last week’s 10-unisex winner Gabrio Serillo goes a notch higher, seeking the 12-U trophy against Escudero Cup titlist Jaekob Palaroan, Lorenzo Go and Alexandre Coyiuto.