CARLYN Bless Guarde led the charge for the local bets as she took three titles at the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series leg in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, with Minette April Bentillo adding another crown for the hometown players.
Guarde, a perennial winner in past legs of the country’s longest-running age group tennis series, was pushed to the edge by Jazzele Madis from M’lang, North Cotabato in the girls’ 16-under finals before pulling off a 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 victory.
But when they met anew in the 18-under championship match, Guarde swept Madis, 6-0, 6-1, for the title.
Guarde then teamed up with Princess Nicole Langomez to beat the tandem of Rowena Jusay and Karen Garcia, 8-2, and add the girls’ 18-under doubles’ title to her collection.
Bentillo, meanwhile, had an easy time in the finals of the girls’ 14-under, brushing aside Sitti Nur Jillian Managking from Pikit, North Cotabato in the tournamet supported by Dunlop as the official ball.
“We are looking at Guarde as one of the future national players. She has been a consistent winner in the series and even in other tournaments she joins,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President/CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, who initiated this grassroots tennis development program 11 years ago.
The other female winner in the tournament that attracted 124 entries and was held at the Isulan Capitol Tennis Club courts, was Tennielle Madis from M’lang, after she beat Manangking, 6-0, 6-1 in the girls’ 12-under finals.
Marbel City’s Angil Jay Balaoing posted a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 10-6 victory over Jude Michael Andrei Padao from Digos City for the boys’ 14- under crown. He also partnered with John Christopher Sonsona in the boys’ 14-under doubles and prevailed, 8-3, over the duo of Padao and Cedric Paolo Pamplona.
Another back to back titlist was Abdel Qadzri Matarul, a native of Pulacan, Zamboanga del Sur, as he won the 10-under unisex title following a 4-1, 4-0 win over Raphael Joaquin Duay from Polomolok, South Cotabato. Later on, he shared the 10-under unisex crown with Kian John Sanchez as they defeated Alexavier Uy and Elmer Belotindos, 4-1, 4-2, in the finals.
The boys’ side had another local bet, Christian Lawrence Villarin emerging champion in the 18-under as he fashioned out a 6-4, 6-3 win over Klyde Legarde from General Santos City.
Familiar name Stephen Zion Guia from Dipolog also swept his opponent Janus Al-Najeeb Ringia, representing Marbel City, 7-5, 6-2, to take the boys’ 16-under crown.
A losing finalist in the 14-under, Padao consoled himself with his victory in the 12-under, where he beat John Christopher Sonsona from Lanao del Norte, 6-0, 6-3 in the finals.
Boys’ doubles champions in the 18-under were AlFadhz Matarul and Basser Ali as they posted an 8-1 win over Joren Bayot and Ariel Jusay.
