IN the absence of strong local opponents, familiar names again dominated the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age-Group Championship Series in the Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental leg that attracted 134 entries.
The duo of Cagayan de Oro’s Mary Aubrey Calma and Carcar City’s Elizabeth Abarquez faced each other in two finals matches in the tournament hosted by the Oroquieta Lawn Tennis Association and supported by Dunlop Sports, with Dunlop as the official ball.
Calma swept Abarquez, 7-5, 6-3, for the 18-under girls’ title, but lost to the latter in the earlier 16-under championship match, 6-1, 3-6, 10-7 win.
In the boys’ side, Cebu City’s Marc Nicole Suson, who dominated the 16-under and 18-under categories, lost both finals’ matches in the two age-groups. His fellow Cebuano Norman Joseph Enriquez retired him in the second set, while Janus Al-Najeeb Ringia from Koronadal won in three sets over Suson, 6-4, 3-6, 10-5, in the 16-under championship match.
“Mindanao will always be a good area for young tennis players with potentials to make good if given the opportunity. This is why we hold a lot of legs in this region. We are happy with the turnouts in all the legs here,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier and current PHILTA Chairman.
It was Lhuillier, who initiated this nation-wide grassroots tennis program 10 years ago, which has produced champions in the last decade.