Monday, February 12, 2007 National tennis tryouts moved
THE playdate of the national tryouts for the World Junior Cup was postponed on a later date, giving regional head of the Philippine Tennis Association ample time to haggle for more Cebuanos to be invited to the tryouts to be held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The tryouts cum competition for World Junior Cup, Junior Davis Cup and the Federation Cup are moved to Feb. 24 instead of on this weekend, as Philta plays hosts to the Davis Cup, where top Filipino players Cecil Mamiit and Frederick Taino are taking part in. The Philippines beat Pakistan 4-1 to advance to the second round. (See story, A21)
Philta administrator Chris Cuarto has only invited Bernardin Niño Siso and Kristel Mae Buenacosa to compete in the World Junior Cup qualifiers.
Plea
Philta regional coordinator John Pages said that he is hoping that Sally Mae Siso will be included in the invitees to the tryouts.
“I will be asking Chris to include Sally Mae since she is a top player in her division,” Pages said.
The World Juniors Cup is an international competition for 14 years old and under players. The Junior Davis Cup is for Boys 16 players, while the Federation Cup is for the distaff players of the same age group.
Last year, John Francis Largo worked his way up the Boys 16 ranking and was able to represent the country in the Junior Davis Cup.
Competing in international competition would open doors of opportunity for the young players allowing them to tour the world. Francis Alcantara hailed Asia’s top player in the Boys 14 and was granted a trip to Europe to be exposed to the tennis programs in the different countries of Europe. (MCB)
