Wednesday, April 23, 2008 RP’s top 16 in tennis to play in Cebu
CEBUANO tennis enthusiasts will see and experience good plays when the country’s top 16 players are coming to compete for the Cebuana Lhuillier Men’s Open Tennis Tournament on May 6 to 11 at Baseline Restaurant Tennis Court.
“Cebuana Lhuillier’s objective is really to help the tennis industry in the country as well as to help the players and to discover local talents also to represent the country in any future international competition” said tournament administrator April Toledo yesterday.
The tournament, which will have its qualifying series on May 4 and 5 at Baseline Restaurant, will have the 32-man draw for the doubles and 16-man draw for the singles events.
The games are sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association, the national body for the sports.
She said the tournament, which is a national event, is open to all tennis players from 14 years old and above, “Cebu will be excited as it is rare that tough tennis players are playing here, Cebuanos can expect a really good match because the top 16 are coming here to play, and they will really play hard to have good plays.”
A total of P102, 000 is at stake for the winners, where P40, 000 will be given to the champion in the singles with trophy and medal, while P20,000 for doubles champion also with trophy and medal. Consolation cash prizes will also be given to the runners-up and for the semifinalists.
On the other hand, former Davis Cup campaigner and the country’s former no.1 doubles player and tournament director Jun Toledo (April’s husband) also said yesterday that they will be holding the event here after Cebuana Lhuillier has talked to them since the sports have more audience here and Cebuano people also love and like tennis. It serves as a way to give back something in return to Cebu, as he was born here, he said.
The tournament director said that aside from the top 16 who already confirmed their participation, like the country’s No.1 tennis player and last year’s Philippine Columbian Association, the longest running tennis tournament in Manila, winner Johnny Arcilla, No. 2 PJ Tiero who played in the recent Davis Cup against Japan, No. 3 Rolando Ruel and No. 4 Yanic Guba, he said that he will make sure that Niño Alcantara will also compete in the one week tournament.
“I’m sure that Alcantara will be here because I’m his coach,” he said. Right after Alcantara’s competition in the World Juniors Davis Cup in India on April 26 to May 4, he will be here to compete.
Alcantara, 16, from Malaybalay, Bukidnon, is the current World Juniors No.70 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranking, which is already a high rank he said, and the former Asian Tennis Federation No.1 in the 14 and Under and in the 18 and Under in the Philippines.
It was about five years ago that a national open was held here and Jun said that the tournament was made possible now through the efforts of John Henri Lhuillier for his undying support in the sporting events particularly in tennis, “because without him (John Henri Lhuillier), we have no Men’s Open in the country right now”, he said.
For inquiries, interested parties may call the tournament referee Godfrey “Boy” Callao at 09283735260. Registration fee is pegged at P500 for the singles and doubles and the deadline will be on May 3 at 12 noon. (NSM)
