Brice Baisa continued his rapid rise to tennis junior fame with another two-title feat even as Kimi Brodeth lived up to the hype in the distaff side of the Brookside National Juniors Championships at Brookside Hills courts in Cainta, Rizal Sunday.
The third-ranked Baisa squeaked out a tough 6-4, 7-6(2) win over second seed Tristan Licayan in the semis then upended No. 1 Kenzo Brodeth, 6-4, 6-0, to snare the boys’ 16-and-under crown in the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop.
The Puerto Princesa find, likewise ranked No. 3 in the centerpiece 18-U division, turned back second seed Alfonso Infante, 6-4, 6-4, in the semis then hacked out a similar 6-4, 6-4 triumph over No. 1 and doubles partner Vince Serna to match his equally impressive “double” romps in the Iloilo, Roxas City, Bacolod and Imus legs of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
The top-seeded Kimi Brodeth, on the other hand, resumed her winning ways coming off a break as the Ormoc City star, who swept the three-leg Visayan swing last March, foiled No. 2 Chloe Mercado from QC twice, 6-2, 7-5, in the girls’ 16-U championship. She then bounced back from an opening set setback to pull off a 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 escape in the 18-U finals and share the MVP honors with Baisa.
Other winners in the week-long event, organized by Brookside Tennis Club president Allan del Castillo, were Ormoc’s Kenzo Brodeth, Gabrio Serillo from Dumaguete City, Olongapo’s Cadee Dagoon, Ayl Xyza Gonzaga from Zambales, and Kian Cansana from Valle Verde Country Club.
Meanwhile, action shifts to Pampanga for the Zentro Juniors Group I on May 25-29 at the Zentro Recreational Center courts in Apalit. For details and listup, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Kenzo Brodeth outwitted top seed Licayan, 5-7, 6-2, 10-7, in the boys’ 14-U finals; the No. 1 Serillo routed Dean Palaroan, 6-2, 6-2, for the boys’ 12-U trophy; the top seeded Dagoon clipped Ave Maria Policarpio, 6-2, 6-3, for the girls’ 14-U crown; the No. 2 Gonzaga humbled top seeded Kylie Cautivo, 7-6(6), 1-6, 10-5, for the girls’ 12-U diadem; and the unranked Cansana stunned top seed Naeem Serillo, 4-0, 4-0, in the quarterfinals, ripped No. 3 and doubles partner Claera Hosaka, 4-0, 4-1, in the semis, then survived No. 4 Gabriel Vitaliano, 4-0, 0-4, 10-6, in the 10-unisex finals.
Kimi Brodeth and Baisa actually made it a three-title feat as former teamed up with Dagoon to beat Mercado and Xophia Oliveros in the 18-U doubles. Baisa and Serna trounced Kenzo Brodeth and Licayan, while Samuel Davila and Joshua Stewart toppled Kristian Brazal and Ronnier Ferrer for the 14-U crown.
Naeem Serillo and Tyronne Caro also foiled Cansana and Hosana (10-unisex), while Dagoon and Gonzaga captured the girls’ 14-U trophy over Oliveros and Jasmine Sardona.