THE long wait is over for Matt Steve Palasan as he finally scored one big win in leading the PTA-backed locals’ successful campaign in the 2016 Milo Junior Tennis Cup Mindanao Leg which ended ion Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday morning at the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club.
A perennial contender in local age-group tourneys in the past, the now improved Palasan put up a solid performance in besting John Renest Sonsona of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, 6-2, 6-0 to secure the premier 18-under boys title.
“Gasaka ang dula ni Matmat under the training program of the Philippine Tennis Academy-Cagayan de Oro Satellite. Lisod baya kamp’yonon ang (It is hard to champion the) 18-under (U18) level,” said Marlon Castro, a former basketball standout, who is now the resident conditioning coach of the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club.
Fellow PTA players from Cagayan de Oro—Janelle Carmela Llavore and Gennifer Lysandra Pagente—were also triumphant.
Llavore overpowered Corpus Christi compatriot Mary Aubrey Calma, 6-1, 6-1 to capture the U18 girls crown, while Pagente overcame the hard-fighting Jan Marie Anghag of Ozamis City, 6-3, 7-5 to pocket the U16 girls plum.
This, as the equally-impressive Lanao del Norte netters also unleashed their might in the lower age brackets, even as the streaking Jose Maria Joma Pague of Zamboanga Sibugay continued to lord it over in the U16 boys rivalry with a 6-1, 6-0 shellacking of local bet Jonelle Christian Llavore.
Currently the country’s No.1 unisex U10 campaigner, Heinz Aslan Carbonilla played as one opposite Kurt Gervan Bandolis of Tubod whom he trounced, 4-1, 4-1.
“Bilib ko ining bataa (Carbonilla). Maayo og footwork unya paspas (He has incredible footwork and he's fast). Mas kuyaw kay sa mga niagi nga top unisex 10-under campaigners,” Matmat’s father, lawyer Tibs Palasan could not help but heaped praises on Lanao del Norte’s brightest tennis prospect today.
Tubod pride Brent Signmond Cortes sustained his dominance over arch rival Rupert Ohrelle Tortal of Surigao City, 6-4-6-4 for the 12-under boys jewel as Richard Bautista of Kapatagan overwhelmed Euri Tagal of Maranding for the 14-under boys diadem.
Kristin Guia Margarette Bandolis, also from Tubod, subdued Glee Estelle Juario, 6-1, 6-4 in the U12 girls finals.
“Malipay among governor (Khalid Dimaporo) ini nga development madasig n’ya siya pagtabang sa mga bata sa ilang kampanya puhon sa national finals,” one of the Lanao boys’ coaching staff members told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Completing the winners is Sydney Ezra Enriquez of Salug, Zamboanga del Norte who whipped Jessica Carcueva of Toril, Davao City, 6-3, 6-4 in the 14-under girls finals.
“Tag one entry lang ang mga players sa Milo so, concentrate lang gyod sila sa age bracket nga ilang mapili nga dulaan,” said ITF-licensed referee Mario Inguito Craiz.
The Mindanao Leg winners will advance to the national finals set on August 7 to 8 at the Meralco Tennis Club in Pasig City, Metro Manila, according to Jovy Mamawal, official organizer of the Milo Tennis Programs.