PHILIPPINE women's tennis No. 2 Shaira Hope Rivera, who used to play for Davao City while studying at Sta. Ana National High School, will beef up her Southeast Asian (SEA) Games debut by joining the KL Open this week.
She along with top-ranked Marian Jade Capadocia, AJ Lin and men's No. 2 Jeson Patrombon are leaving Manila Monday, November 11, 2019.
Rivera, who hails from Compostela Valley, replaced women's third-ranked Anna Clarice Patrimonio for the KL Open as the latter is still recuperating from her ankle injury.
The 20-year-old Rivera, who is currently a second year AB Literature English varsity student at the Ateneo de Manila University, said, "Sobrang saya po kasi dream ko po mag Sea Games and now maglalaro na po ako at ma represent ko po yung country natin."
She, however, said she is not certain yet which category she will be entered in the biennial meet.
"Okay naman training namin po last August and September sa Amsterdam po kami nag training tapos balik dito sali ng tournaments at alis uli kami sa mga tournament sa ibang bansa po," she added.
She trains two hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon before she continues with gym training.
She continued, "Hindi ko pa po alam yung feeling kapag naglaro na talaga ng Sea Games pero I think mas nakakapressure na dito pa sa Philippines po."
But she hopes to perform her best in the Games as her teammates keep pushing her during training.
"Nakakakaba po talaga lalo na first time ko," she said.
She will be among the must-watch Davao region athletes who will be competing in the 30th SEA Games slated November 30 to December 11.