MCLEEN GOMERA topped the boys’ 16-under division while Jana Jelena ruled the girls’ 14-under side as they hoisted the Most Valuable Player trophies in the Masters Top 8 at the SRJI Center Mall courts in San Carlos, Negros Occidental, Monday.
Six others also dominated their age groups but Gomera, playing out of Lanao del Norte, and Jelena, a rising star from Cavite, posted the worthiest victories in the tournament that gathered top ranking junior players from last year’s edition of the country’s longest talent-search presented by Dunlop.
Gomera, who dominated the San Carlos City leg of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) junior circuit last year, crushed fellow Lanao del Norte bet Kale Cyd Villamar, 6-0, 6-0, in the finals of the 16-under class that included Kurt Barrera, Gio Manito, Ariel Cabaral, Reign Maravilla and siblings Frank and France Dilao.
He earlier trounced Manito, 6-2, 6-2, in the crossover semifinals with Villamar holding off Maravilla, 7-6(4), 6-3.
Jelena, on the other hand, repulsed Jayden Ballado from Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, 6-3, 7-6(1), in the 14-under battle that featured Marlyn Mesiona, Jan Dagoon, Jayden Ballado, Kate Imalay, Avegail Ansay, Queen Villa and Faith Lazaro.
Hans Cabellon, from Pardo, Cebu, and La Carlota’s Alexa Joy Milliam, meanwhile, captured the titles and gained ranking points in the premier 18-under category with Cabellon ripping San Jose, Nueva Ecija’s Ivan Charles Manila, 6-0, 6-1, and Milliam turning back Lapu-Lapu City’s Claire Nocos, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
The other winners in the week-long event, sponsored by Mayor Rene Gustilo and Vice Mayor Criston Carmona, were Kimi Brodeth, Maristella Torrecampo, Josh Benedict Lim and Armik Gabrio Serillo.
Ormoc City’s Brodeth, who topped a number of last year’s PPS-PEPP legs put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro, toppled Bacolod’s Hannah Divinagracia, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0, for the girls’ 16-under trophy; Torrecampo from Los Baños repelled Ormoc’s Ma. Caroliean Fiel, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in the girls’ 12-under finals; Lim, also from Lanao del Norte, warded off another Ormoc City bet Kenzo Brodeth, 7-5, 6-0, for the boys’ 14-under title; and Serillo from Dumaguete City defeated Claudwin Tonacao from Bogo City, Cebu, 6-1, 6-3, to snare the boys’ 12-under crown.
Action in the junior circuit—backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating—heats up in the Dinagyang Festival starting Wednesday in Iloilo City with Roxas City (Capiz) hosting the Gov. Fredenil Castro tournament from January 19 to 24. For details, contact Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
The Mayor Alfredo Benitez juniors tilt, on the other hand, will be held from January 26 to 31 in Bacolod City while the Mayor Luigi Marcel Goni tournament is slated from Februry 2 to 7 in Bais City, Negros Oriental.