Krelz Gecosala stole the spotlight in the boys’ division while Ayl Gonzaga and Arissa Macapendeg matched his triple-title feat in the girls’ side of the Cotabato City National Tennis Championships at the Cotabato City Sports Plaza.
Gecosala, a rising star from Midsayap, North Cotabato, capped off a dominant run in the 16-and-under division with a gritty 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over top seed Julius Otoc. He then stunned another top ranked player, Abdul Hameed Balt, 6-2, 6-2, to clinch the 18-and-U title and secure the MVP trophy in the boys’ division of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
Gecosala later partnered with Thomas Calingasan in the 18-and-U doubles and edged out Mujahid Boloto and Sarin in a tense tiebreaker, 8-7(8), to complete his three-title romp in the weeklong event hosted by Mayor Bruce Matabalao.
Gonzaga, representing Olongapo City, also emerged as a triple champion. She ruled the 14-and-U singles by dispatching Justine Gumbao, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-1, then duplicated the feat in the 16-and-U finals with a 6-2, 6-2 repeat win over Gumbao.
She later teamed up with Maria Lucia Calingasan to dominate the 14-and-U doubles, 8-0, over Miel Cua and Dyne Obaniana.
Gonzaga thus extended her impressive run in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala national junior circuit, a program under president/CEO Bobby Castro aimed at developing young tennis talents for future international campaigns.
Davao City’s Macapendeg also romped past top seed Aleushia Maurin, 6-1, 6-1, to win the 12-and-U girls’ crown, then overcame Azl Kirk Gonzaga in a nail-biting 10-and-U unisex final, 5-4(4), 2-4, 10-4. Her third title came in the 10-and-U doubles, where she partnered with Ainjel Goloran to beat Joaquin Calingasan and Gonzaga, 8-4.
In other results, Keyan Sarip of Marawi City outclassed Kresthan Belacas, 6-3, 6-0, to win the boys’ 14-and-U crown, while Dhea Cua from Cotabato pulled off a 6-3, 6-2 upset over No. 1 seed Sanschena Francisco in the girls’ 18-and-U final.
Cua later joined forces with Princess Obaniana to trounce Francisco and Mariam Mokalam, 8-2, in the 18-and-U doubles final, while Otoc and Tom Songcayauon took the boys’ 18-and-U doubles title, also with an 8-2 victory over Balt and Amerhussen Basher.
