Kimi Brodeth hopes to start out strong coming off a break, seeking no less than a sweep of the top two divisions in the girls’ side of the Mayor Nacional “Nikko” V. Mercado National Juniors Tennis Championships unfolding Thursday at the Maasin City Tennis Club in Leyte.
Brodeth kicked off the season with a victory in the Masters Top 8 in Negros Occidental then posted a two-title romp in the PPS-PEPP Iloilo leg, both last January, making the Ormoc City find the marked player in the 16- and 18-under categories of the Group 2 tournament serving as the first of the three-leg Visayan swing.
Out to foil her bid are Corazon Lambonao, Krissna Lim, and Davanee Velasco in the premier class while Molly Tan, Marie Gojoco, Antonette Araneta, Mae Paulo, Lim, and Velasco beef up the 16-U cast of the event sponsored by Mayor Mercado as part of the city’s youth sports program to discover, tap and develop talents like Maasin native and former Davis Cupper and PCA Open champion Ringo Navarrosa.
The battle for the boys’ titles is also expected to be wide open with Gio Manito, Nicholas Ocat, El Zylter Tagalog and Kyle Villaruel all primed up for the 18-U chase with Manito also bannering the 16-U cast that also features Kenzo Brodeth, Kevin Tabura, and Andre Namocatcat.
Kenzo Brodeth also headlines the 14-U field that includes Urcisino Villa, Claudwin Toñacao and Fritz Cayunda with Molly Tan, Julienne Celeste, Dorothy Araneta and Princess Paulo leading the hunt in the girls’ division of the tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Toñacao, siblings Pete and Gil Niere and Cayunda are tipped to slug it out in the 12-U category with Ma. Caroliean Fiel and Julienne Celeste gearing up for a title clash in their side of the battle.
Fiel, Mae Cia and the Niere brothers banner the cast in the 10-unisex category.
Meanwhile, the circuit, presented by Dunlop and backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating), heads to Baybay City on March 16-20 with Ormoc City hosting the third Visayan swing stop on March 23-27. For listup, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.