UNIVERSITY of the East and University of Santo Tomas begin their best-of-three championship series for the UAAP Season 79 men’s lawn tennis crown today.
The opening tie is scheduled at 8 a.m. at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, with the Red Warriors favored as the heavy favorites to claim their breakthrough title against the Growling Tigers.
With rookie AJ Lim sensational all-season long, UE was impressive in the double-round eliminations, winning nine of 10 ties.
UST closed out the second round with a 3-2 win over deposed champion National University in a make-up for an earlier abandoned second-round tie last Wednesday for a 7-3 record.
There will be a new champion, as the Bulldogs ended an unbeatable four-year reign after finishing fifth place, the lowest since the Bustillos-based netters started their participation in the 2011-12 season.
Winners of league-best 12 championships, the Tigers last ruled the 2010-11 season, when the team was then handled by coach Karl Santamaria.
In the women’s division, twice-to-beat NU goes for the jugular against UST at 8 a.m. tomorrow at the same Malate venue.
The 8-0 Lady Bulldogs, powered by sisters Clarice and Christine Patrimonio, need only to beat the 6-2 Tigresses once to extend their reign to four seasons.
Winning 23 consecutive ties which date back from Feb. 2015, the NU lady tennisters hold one of the current longest-winning streaks in the UAAP, as it matches Ateneo men’s volleyball’s 23-match run.
NU’s women’s basketball team has a 48-game winning streak, going undefeated in three seasons.
Match today
(Rizal Memorial Tennis Center)
8 a.m. – UE vs UST (Men Finals)