JANA DIAZ pulled off a two-title romp while Reign Maravilla posted a win and a runner-up finish as the rising Cavite stars shared the spotlight in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Rep. Len Naguiat National Junior Tennis Championships at the South City Homes Recreational courts in Biñan Sunday.
The top-seeded Diaz flashed top form coming off a victory in the Escudero Cup, crushing Joy Ansay, 6-2, 6-2, in the girls’ 16-under finals before the Bacoor, Cavite find blasted Sandra Bautista, 6-3, 6-0, for the 18-under crown in the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop and marked by a couple of reversals.
Maravilla, on the other hand, foiled Escudero Cup leg winner Kendrick Bona, 6-3, 6-3, in the boys’ 16-under championship although the Dasmariñas, Cavite bet came up short and bowed to Vince Serna of Butuan City, who hacked out a 6-1, 6-7(4), 10-8 decision in the premier 18-under finals of the week-long event hosted by Biñan City Mayor Len Alonte-Naguiat and part of country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Maristella Torrecampo of Los Baños likewise came away with a “double” in varying fashions, dispatching Ayl Gonzaga, 6-0, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-under diadem then surviving Erynne Ong, 3-6, 6-4, 13-11, in the 14-under finals.
Other winners were Tyronne Caro (10-unisex), Iloilo’s Bjorn Castigador (boys’ 12-under) and Cabanatuan’s Lexious Cruz (boys’ 14-under).
Caro upended top seed Naeem Serillo, 5-4(5), 4-2, in the semfinals then rallied past No. 2 Raven Licayan, 4-5(6), 4-2, 10-7; Castigador also stunned top ranked Gabrio Serillo, 7-5, 6-1, after repelling No. 4 Alexandre Coyiuto, 6-3, 2-6, 10-6, in the semis; and Cruz toppled Zachary Morales, 6-1, 6-0.
Tristan Licayan and Cruz drubbed Castigador and Serillo to snare the boys’ doubles 14-under trophy; Maravilla and Bona took the 18-under title over siblings Frank and France Dilao; while Torrecampo teamed up with Jasmine Sardona to topple Gonzaga and Ong in the girls’ doubles 14-under finals; and Diaz and Ansay bested Anika Manalo and Bautista for the 18-under crown.
The circuit—supported by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating—moves to the Visayas for a three-leg swing in Leyte with Maasin hosting the first top from March 9 to 13.
Baybay City will stage the next leg from March 16 to 20 before Ormoc City takes its turn from March 23 to 27.
For registration, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
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