THE region’s heavyweight young tennis talents took over at the recent Mambajao, Camiguin leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series as familiar names emerged winners anew, though perennial double champion Marc Nicole Suson had to settle for only the boys’ 16-under as he lost in the finals of the 18-under.
Suson, a native of Cebu City, has been dominating the two age groups but this time, he was thwarted by Tubod, Lanao del Norte bet John Renest Sonsona in the finals of the 18-under, 7-5, 6-3.
Earlier though, Suson stamped his mark anew in the 16-under, beating Dipolog City’s Stephen Guion Zia, 7-6, 3-6, 13-11, in an extended three-set championship match in the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball.
Misamis Oriental lass Merkisslyn Ubay-ubay, meanwhile, extended his domination of the girls’ 18-under by posting a close 7-6, 7-5 victory over another familiar name Ellaine Bahonsua from Siquijor in the finals.
Brent Signmond Cortes continued to rule the boys’ 14-under with a 7-5,6-0 whipping of Surigao del Norte’s Ivan Macalos; while John Christopher Sonsona from Tubod, emerged champion anew in the boys’ 12-under with an easy 6-1, 6-0 win over Vince Luis Serna from Butuan in their championship match.
“Looking at the list of winners, we believe that our efforts in discovering and developing young tennis talents in the provinces are paying off as these young champions have certainly upgraded their skills level with their consistent victories,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.
Other individual champions in the tournament played at the Provincial Plaza Tennis Courts were Cagayan de Oro’s up-and-coming Nanami Suzuki, who took care of citymate Clarissa Pabillore, 6-4, 7-6, in the finals of the girls’ 14-under, and Klan Sanchez, also from CDO, who topped the 10-under unisex age group, defeating Beejay Macalos, 5-4, 4-1, in the finals.
Cortes and Suzuki also shared in the doubles events with Cortes teaming up with Ashton Benne Villanueva for the 14-under boys’ doubles, taking down siblings Ivan and Renzo Macalos, 8-6, in the championship match, while Suzuki and partner Pabillorehad an easy 8-2 victory over Faith Estanilla and Kaithlyn Amerillento for the girls’ 14-under crown.
The tandem of Bahonsua and Rica Trixie Gudelosao emerged winners in the girls’ 18-under, while Matt Steve Palasan and Mark Ivan Malinis went home with the boys’ 18-under crown.
