BRICE Baisa tries to pick up where he left off as he goes for another two-title feat while Jana Diaz seeks to re-assert her mastery of the girls’ field in the PPS-PEPP Imus City National juniors tennis championships beginning Thursday at the Imus/Meadowood courts in Cavite.
Baisa, a 16-year-old find from Puerto Princesa, took the spotlight when he swept the 16- and 18-and-under titles in the Iloilo, Roxas City and Bacolod stops of the country’s longest talent-search early in the season, besting some of the circuit’s fancied players.
His feats earned him a stint in the ITF Junior Circuit in Sri Lanka and his recent overseas campaign is expected to further toughen him up coming into this week’s hostilities, which also feature the likes of Vince Serna, Reign Maravilla and Frank Dilao in the premier boys’ division of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
Maravilla also top-bills the 16-U roster with Tristan Licayan as the No. 2 seed followed by siblings Frank and France Dilao. While Baisa is billed behind Serna in 18-U play, he is unseeded in the 16-U category pending the results of the latest PPS-PEPP junior rankings.
Diaz, meanwhile, banners the 16- and 18-U casts in the distaff side with the Bacoor, Cavite lass also aiming to duplicate her string of victories in the Visayan swing of the nation-wide circuit held as part of the PPS-PEPP junior program put up by president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Meanwhile, Lucena will host the next leg on April 27-30 before action moves to Cainta, Rizal for the Open, Juniors and Legends tournaments from May 1 to 14. The Olivarez Sports Center will stage the next juniors tilt on May 18-22 before the chase for top honors and ranking points shifts to Zentro, Pampanga on May 25-29.
For details and listup, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Out to foil Diaz’s bid are Sandra Bautista, Joy Ansay and Czarina Ilano, among others.
Licayan, on the other hand, gains the top seeding in boys’ 14-U draw, which includes Marwin Plata, Alexandre Coyiuto and Dean Palaroan, while Ansay, Maristella Torrecampo, Erynne Ong and Ave Policarpio are tipped to dispute the girls’ trophy in the event backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).
Palaroan, Sky Berille and brothers Alexandre and Aaron Coyuito brace for a spirited battle in the boys’ 12-U category while Torrecampo head-lining the girls’ field that includes Kylie Cautivo, Xyza Gonzaga and Jasmine Sardona.