LED by Brent Sigmond Cortes from Lanao del Norte and Cebu City’s pride Marc Nicole Suson, familiar names once again dominated the inaugural leg of the 2018 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, the country’s longest-running tennis grass-roots developmental program, now on its 12th year.
Cortes, a perennial winner of the series for the past years, emerged the biggest winner in the Group 1 level tournament, as he won both the boys’ 14- and 16-under categories against separate opponents. He added the 14-under doubles’ title with partner Ashton Benne Villanueva as they beat Andre Sal Eugenio and Alejandro Barrientos, 8-5.
Earlier, he swept Oroquieta City’s Nash Agustines, 7-5, 6-3, for the 14-under crown and followed it up with another straight set 6-1, 6-3 win over Dipolog native Stephen Zion Guia in the 16-under finals.
Suson went home with the 18-under title after beating hard-luck Guia, 6-3, 6-1, in the championship match and then partnered with Cedrix John Bravo as they disposed of the duo of Lemuel Garbosa and Rheyzel Fren Juaniza, 8-4, for the boys’ 18-under crown in the tournament held at the Citigreen Tennis Resort, backed by Dunlop as the official ball and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines.
A total of 50 legs are scheduled this year, 30 in the Vis-Min area and 20 in Luzon.
“It is good to see players like Cortes and other veterans who have been growing through the years, getting better and better by winning the older age groups,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group.
Other familiar names, who won were Elizabeth Abarquez from Carcar, Cebu as she ruled the girls’ 18-under with a 6-2,6-2 victory over Pherl Bless Coderos; Rovie Baulete, who emerged champion in the girls’ 16-under following a 6-3, 6-1 win over 14-under champion Tiffany Claire Nocos from Lapu-Lapu City, who beat Corazon Lambonao, 6-1, 6-0; and Heinz Asian Carbonilla from Lanao del Norte, who swept Reyman Saldivar Jjr., 6-1, 6-0, in the finals of the boys’ 12-under.
New faces who won included Shara Louise Paliwag from Dumaguete City, who defeated another Dumaguete native Daveaine Therese Garan, 6-3, 6-0, for the girls’ 12-under title and two youngsters, Aaron Kevin Tabura from Pardo, who made short work of Garlandson Ardiente, 4-1, 4-0, in the finals of the 10-under unisex category, and David Ezra Sepulveda, also from Pardo who fashioned out a 4-1, 5-3 win over Lapu-Lapu City bet Carlisle Quizon in the 10-under unisex finals.
