IT WAS the turn of young and up-and-coming players from the National Capital Region to steal the show in the 2017 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series as Pasig City and the Valle Verde Country Club hosted the 21st and the latest leg of the series.
Relatively unfamiliar names dominated the winners’ list in the tournament that was also supported by Dunlop as the official ball.
“The NCR will always remain as a major tournament center for the country and it is good that it continues to produce its own share of young tennis talents. These present-day winners will not be unfamiliar names for long for sure,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President/CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier expressing,
No player dominated as different winners emerged in each age group, led by 18-under boys’ and girls’ champions Gabriel Tiamson and Paula Ysabelle Uy, respectively, as Tiamson, who hails from Muntinlupa, posted an easy straight set victory 6-0, 6-2 over Jeremiah Macias IV for the crown, while Uy had to come back from a first-set loss before prevailing over Cianna Villaflor, 3-6, 6-3, 10-7.
Other winners in the boys’ side were visiting Stefano Gurial from Bacoor, Cavite as he had a walkover win over Daniel Estanislao in the 16-under.
Estanislao, meanwhile, emerged champion in the 14-below, beating Rainier Selmar from Bacoor, 6-2, 6-1 in the 14-under, and Quezon City’s Angelo Rosales who had a 7-6, 6-3 win over Lance Fernandez for the 12-under title.
Boys prevailed in the unisex categories as Sebastian Enriquez swept Jos Po, 4-0, 4-3, in the 10-under finals, while Gavin Kraut had to struggle for a three-set win, 4-2, 0-4, 11-9, over Novak Brazal in the 8-under finale.
In the distaff side, local bet Franchesca Marie Cruz was pushed to the limit by Alyssa Rosales in the 16-under championship match before Cruz wrapped up the match, 6-2, 3-6, 12-10.
Muntinlupa City’s Nina Sandejas earlier ruled the 14-under with an easy 6-2, 6-4 win over Rosales, who bombed out in her two finals’ appearances.
Stella Sieh disposed of Carrilyn Pesengco in two sets, 7-6, 6-3, for the 12-under crown.
Doubles’ events champions were Loucas Fernandez and Jed Labasario in the boys’ 18-under; Daniel Estanislao and Rafael Liangco won in the boys’ 14-under; Alyssa Rosales and partner Amelie Matta prevailed in the girls’ 14-under, and Sebastian Enriquez with Jose Ma. de Leon in the 10-under.