Rising tennis stars Izabelle Camcam and Aizelle Libonfacil shared Most Valuable Player honors in the girls’ division, while Vincent Nadal spearheaded the boys’ charge in the just-concluded Dipolog City National Juniors Tennis Championships in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte last Monday.
The Group 2 tournament, part of the Mindanao swing of the PPS-PEPP Junior Tennis Circuit, saw intense competition and emerging talent from various regions, showcasing the depth of young Filipino tennis.
Camcam, representing Muntinlupa, lived up to her top billing in the 16-and-under girls’ division. She displayed dominance from the get-go, conceding only four games en route to the title. Her commanding 6-1, 6-0 win over Gabrielle Bulado in the finals capped her unbeaten run.
However, her bid for a second title was derailed in the 18-and-U finals, where she fell to local standout Alanierose Saldia from Manukan, 5-7, 1-6.
Libonfacil, just 12 years old, also delivered a remarkable campaign. She crushed Rhiana Cuarto, 6-0, 6-2, to rule her age division. But like Camcam, she came up short in her second finals appearance, yielding to Tangub City’s Marnelli Solis in a tightly contested 14-and-U championship, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6.
Their performances, though shy of a double-title sweep, were enough to earn them co-MVP accolades for the girls’ division in the nationwide talent-search initiated by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro,
In the boys’ side, Vincent Nadal of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, turned heartbreak into triumph. After losing a grueling 16-and-U semifinal match to Bogo City’s Gil Niere, 4-6, 6-4, 14-12, Nadal bounced back with a statement win in the 18-and-U finals, dismantling the same opponent with a 6-2, 6-1 rout.
Kennedy Gumera, also from Tubod, claimed the 16-and-U boys’ crown after toppling Gil Niere in the finals, 6-3, 6-2.
The younger divisions saw a shake-up in the rankings, with several unseeded players rising to the occasion.
Kim Tatad III of Plaridel, Misamis Oriental, toppled top seed Pete Niere, 6-2, 6-2, to capture the boys’ 14-and-U title, while John Dioford Cabatingan of Compostela, Cebu, stunned the same top-seeded Niere, 6-4, 6-4, in the 12-and-U division to claim his maiden crown.
Enzo Niere salvaged some pride for the Niere clan, winning the 10-and-U unisex championship with a clinical 4-2, 4-2 win over local hopeful Francis Dadan.
Following the successful five-day tournament in Dipolog, the circuit resumed Tuesday at the DAO Sports Complex in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. Another batch of young aspirants are competing for top honors and valuable ranking points in the circuit sanctioned by Philta and backed by Universal Tennis and ICON Golf & Sports.
