TOP and rising junior tennis players gear up for a two-week battle of power and wits as they slug it for top honors and ranking points in the 2017 Phinma-PSC Juniors Tennis Championships at the Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park next month.
John Bryan Otico, Arthur Pantino and Michael Eala gained the top seeding in the boys’ side of the two-division event, each hoping to keep the host’s winning mark in the Group 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-and-under event where Khim Iglupas reigned in the girls category in Week 2 of the annual championship last year.
But the Iligan City ace, now 19, won’t be around this year, leaving the cudgels to the local boys and a bunch of rising stars in the girls ranks, headed by Shaira Rivera, Rafaella Villanueva, Melanie Dizon, Bea Acena, Renee Acena, Tracy Llamas Julia Ignacio, Raiana Aquino, Gennifer Pagente and Gabrielle Zoleta.
But while top seed Otico, No. 9 Pantino and No. 19 Eala have assured themselves of spots in the main draw, Rivera, Villannueva and the rest will have to go through the qualifiers to gain spots in the tournament proper of the event sponsored by the Philippine Investment Management Consultants (Phinma) and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta).
Week I will be played on Nov. 14-19 with the qualifying round for boys and girls slated Nov. 12-13. Sign-in deadline for Week I is on Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. at the MPC tennis courts, according to tournament director Chris Cuarto with Malaysian Razmee Rawi as the tournament referee.
Week 2 will be held on Nov. 21-26 with the two-day elims slated on Nov. 19-20 and the sign-in deadline set on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m., also at the MPC.
Others vying for spots in the girls’ main draw of the event, backed by Technifiber ball as official ball, official hotel Jinjiang Inn, Makati and the Philippine Sports Commission, are Isearis Bejosano, Paula Uy, Beatrice Gomez, Isabela Carlos and Angelica Alcala.
