OVER 200 entries set out for a week-long test of will and power as they slug it out in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Southwoods leg regional age-group tennis tournament at the Manila Southwoods tennis courts in Carmona, Cavite today (Monday, May 22).
Jose Pague, Alex Bulilan, Tim Gumban and Laurenz Quitara banner the field in the boys’ 18-and-under class while Lila Salvacio, Bettina Bautista, Bea de Ocampo and Denise Bernardo fight it out for top honors and ranking points in the premier side of the girls’ division of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.
“With a big number of age-groupers from Cavite and nearby town and cities wanting to showcase their talent and skills, we are putting up the Southwoods leg for the second year and this will now be a regular stop of the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Quitara, meanwhile, gains the top seeding in the 32-player 16-U draw with EJ Geluz, Athan Arejola and Bulilan as the next top-ranked netters in the event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and the new Unified tennis group, led by PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s and B-Meg.
Lila Salacion and Bernardo, on the other hand, are the players to beat in the girls’ 16-U play that also includes De Ocampo and Cindy Nuguit while Kaye Emana, Nina Sandejas, Mica Emana and Francine DIzon tipped to dispute the 14-U championship.
The Emana siblings also headline the 12-U cast along with Marielle Jarata and Dizon while Marc Jarata, Samuel Nuguit, Nicos Ison and JT Bernardo lead the boys’ 14-U field with Exequiel Jacutan joining Nuguit, Jarata and Bernardo in the chase for the 12-U title.
The 10-unisex field also drew a big 32-player cast, headed by Kean Enriquez, Marielle Jarata, Frank and France Dilao, Joss Po, Alecsa Ilano, Amaree Japay and Tim Tayer.
Meanwhile, the MCTA (Macs Crankit Tennis Academy of Australia) Community Coaches Conference will be held in Legazpi City on May 31-June 3. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, the PPS-PEPP sports program development director at 0915-4046464.