SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Tennielle Madis of M’lang, North Cotabato, is making waves in the international junior tennis scene.
Currently ranked 207 in the latest International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Girls rankings, she has leaped significantly from her previous position at 255.
With her recent achievements soon to be added, she is poised to break into the top 200 next week.
Madis trains under the guidance of Southeast Asian Games medalist and former Davis Cup player Bobbie Angelo at the Philippine Tennis Academy, founded by long-time sports patron Romy Chan.
Currently in Dubai for the second leg of the UAE J100 tournament, Madis is seeded third in singles and holds the top seed in doubles, teaming up with Russian partner Vlada Guryleva.
Madis’ 2024 season was a breakthrough, headlined by her victory at the Coca-Cola PHILTA International Juniors 2 girls’ singles championship at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
She clinched the title with a decisive win over Korea’s Jiyun Oh, 6-2, 7-6 (5). She also claimed the doubles crown with fellow Filipina Stefi Marithe Aludo, defeating Tarita Hongsyok of Thailand and Yu Tsen Ko of Chinese Taipei, 6-1, 6-3.
So far, Madis has amassed six singles titles this year, including wins at J60 tournaments in Changhua (Chinese Taipei), Nonthaburi (Thailand), and Colombo (Sri Lanka), as well as J30 events in Makati City (Philippines).
At the ITF J60 Nonthaburi tournament, she staged a dramatic comeback to defeat China’s Lingyou Ge, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, securing her third ITF Junior singles title. In doubles, Madis partnered with Stefi Aludo to claim her third doubles championship, underscoring their exceptional chemistry on the court.
Inspired by her idol Alex Eala, she has set an ambitious goal of breaking into the Top 50 of the junior world rankings before concluding her junior.