THE country’s tennis hopefuls started to converge in the City of Golden Friendship for the 12th Head Junior Tennis Tour Satellite Circuit Tour from March 27 to 31.
Set at the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club in Cagayan de Oro, the Smart Sports-led event aims to discover future topnotch athletes, who will earn ranking points in the two-month tennis tour event.
Sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta), the age-group tournament will have competitions in the following categories: 10-year-and under (unisex), 12-under, 14-under, 16-under and 18-under boys and girls.
“The aim of the organizers and supporters of the event is to provide the venue for the youth to earn points and to showcase their talents. Philta accredits these tournaments. Secondly, we want to motivate the players, the parents of the players and the tennis tournament officials and coaches to join and support the cause, hence, we are offering attractive and worthwhile prizes and incentives,” said Head Managing Director Liza Tang.
In fact, Cagayan de Oro native Francis Casey Alcantara, has already earned an automatic slot in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on August by winning the boys’ doubles in the prestigious Australian Open last year where he teamed up with Taiwanese Hsieh Cheng-peng on the road to victory.
The junior netters will vie for a spot in the prestigious Junior Masters to be held at the end of the year.
After the Cagayan de Oro leg, the event will be held in different key areas:
Zamboanga City (April 5-7), Digos City (April 10 -12), Davao City (April 15-17), Lapu-Lapu City (April 20-23), Cebu City (April 24-27), Panglao, Bohol City (April 29 - May 2), Dumaguete City (May 4-6), Bacolod City ( May 8-10), Iloilo City (May 12-15), Baguio City (May 18- 21), and Metro Manila (May 24 -30).
Interested parties can contact Fatima at (02) 925-1578, (02) 925-1578, and (02) 925-2391 or text SMART-Head space, full name, space, and send to 09087432405, or visit Chris Sports’ website, www.chrissports.net.
(Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)