IN a show of force, visiting players from other provinces and cities dominated the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series which attracted 126 entries in Ubay, Bohol.
Tiffany Claire Nocos from Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and Shara Louise Paliwag, a native of Valencia, Negros Oriental, led the assault as they both won two individual titles each.
Paliwag even shared the 10-under unisex doubles’ title, with Daveain Therese Gauran for a three-gold medal haul in the tournament backed by Dunlop as the official ball and is presently on its 12th straight year.
Nocos ruled the girls’ 14-under and 16-under age groups as she beat Cebu bet Kimberley McKenzie, 6-3, 6-1, in the finals of the 14-under and followed it up with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Siquijor’s Ellaine Rose Bahonsua for the 16-under crown, Paliwag edged out Gauran, 4-1, 5-4, 9-7, in the championship match of the 10- under unisex group and added the girls’ 12-under with another three-set victory, 4-6, 6-2, 10-7, over the same opponent for her second title.
“Bohol is a very good venue located in a central location that makes it easy for other players from different places to come and participate. This way, local players get a chance to compete against other and better opponents that can only make these locals improve their games,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group that initiated this longest-running grassroots tennis developmental program.
Multi-titlists Stephen Zion Guia from Dipolog and Cebu City’s Marc Nicole Suson maintained their hold on the boys’ 16-under and 18-under categories.
Guia beat Boholano Scottie Jumamoy, 4-6, 6-4, 10-4, in the finals of the 16-under, while Suson continued his run in the 18-under with an easy 6-1, 6-2 victory over Guia in their championship match.
Suson also shared the boys’ 18-under doubles’ title with Lex Estillore following an 8-1 victory over Nik Alessandro isagan and Scottie Jumamoy.
In the girls’ 18-under, Tagbilaran City’s relatively unknown Mariam Yasmin Garsin pulled off a surprise 6-2, 6-0 win over veteran campaigner Bahonsua with the two teaming up later to win the girls’ 18-under doubles’ crown.
Local player Chryshyll Mykk Lungay from the host municipality salvaged a measure of pride as he topped the boys’ 14-under age group with a win over Dwayne Russel Daaroy from Zamboanga del Norte, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6, and shared the boys’ 14-under doubles’ title with Daaroy.