Jan Cadee Dagoon delivered a pair of commanding victories to dominate the Mayor Arlene Arcillas National Juniors Tennis Championships, while Jan Caleb Villeno posted a win and a runner-up finish to share MVP honors at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex over the weekend.
Dagoon, a rising star from Olongapo City, lived up to her top billing by storming through the girls’ singles 16-and-under division. She capped her run with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over No. 2 seed and doubles partner Ayl Gonzaga in the finals.
She sustained her blistering form in the 18-and-U title match, overwhelming second seed Izabelle Camcam with the same emphatic scoreline to emerge as the tournament’s only “double” singles winner in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
Dagoon actually bagged three titles in total, teaming up with Gonzaga to capture the 18-and-U doubles crown via an 8-2 rout of Cristina Reyes and Jasmine Solis.
In the boys’ side, Villeno, a native of San Pablo City, made his mark by claiming the boys’ 12-and-U title with a 6-0 (ret.) win over doubles partner Jairus Peralta. Though he fell short of a second singles title after a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Anthony Cosca in the 14-and-U finals, Villeno still stood out among the boys’ field and shared MVP honors with Dagoon in the two-week long event sanctioned by Philta and hosted by Sta. Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas as part of the city’s continuing commitment to grassroots sports development.
Cosca’s victory added another feather in the cap for Olongapo City, while fourth seed Julio Naredo of Quezon City pulled off a gritty comeback in the 16-and-U finals, rallying from a set down to stun No. 2 seed Rafa Monte de Ramos, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, matching his triumph in last week’s Dr. Pablo Olivarez Sr. tournament.
Third seed France Dilao and No. 1 Terrence Batallones delivered home-court victories. Dilao outlasted last week’s winner Jonathan Higa in a three-set thriller, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, to capture the boys’ 18-and-U crown, while Batallones edged Rafael Cablitas in the 10-and-U unisex final, 5-4(5), 1-4, 10-7.
Gonzaga bounced back from her singles finals loss in the 18-and-U division by capturing the girls’ 16-and-U crown, fending off Francine Wong in a dramatic tiebreak, 6-3, 7-6(16). Antipolo’s Leanne Barrido also impressed with a 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Clara Hosaka in the girls’ 12-and-U finals.
In doubles action, Dilao and Naredo notched the boys’ 18-and-U title with an 8-1 romp over Monte de Ramos and Samuel Tulop. Isabel Ataiza and Michaela Suarez dominated Precious Valdez and Jasmine Solis, 8-1, to win the girls’ 14-and-U doubles crown.
Villeno and Peralta returned to form in doubles, edging Tyronne Caro and Cosca in a tightly contested 8-7(5) battle for the boys’ 12-and-U trophy.
Batallones also completed a “double,” partnering with Rafael Cablitas to win the 10-and-U doubles crown with an 8-4 win over Xander Cas and Arkin Rescober in the tournament supported by Universal Tennis and ICON Golf & Sports.
