11th Gullas Tennis Cup fires off at CCC this am

The 11th Gullas Tennis Cup, which takes pride for being the biggest junior event in Visayas and Mindanao, fires off at 8 am today at the Cebu Country Club tennis courts in Brgy. Banilad, this city.

Close to 200 racquet-wielders, mostly from Vis-Min region, are all set to vie for top honors in the five-day tournament bankrolled by the Gullas family through the initiative of University of the Visayas executive vice president Jose "Dodong" R. Gullas.

Being a Group 2 Philippine Lawn Tennis Association (PHILTA)-sanctioned event, the top performing players will earn points needed for their individual rankings aside from the trophies and gift certificates at stake.

Among the categories to be contested are the 10-under unisex, boys and girls 12, 14, 16, and 18-under.

Cebu's cream-of-the-crop in tennis will be challenged by visiting netters from as far as Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Iligan, Davao, Cagayan de Oro/Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Dipolog and Tangub City.

The rest of the competitors will come from Manila, Bacolod, Dumaguete City/Negros Oriental, Tagbilaran City/Bohol and Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Among the stars to watch out for the tournament are Cebu's pride John Francis Largo, James Karl Cañete, Jacob Lagman, Jin Querubin, Larry Antigua, and Ryan Repunte.

Not to be left out are the decorated Siso siblings, Sally Mae and Bernardine "Niño", who are both kicking to add more trophies to their collection.

All the participants will receive free t-shirt, while a Most Outstanding Athlete (MOA) award will be handed out to a player who illustrates the true spirit of sportmanship on and off the playing court.

Multi-awarded coach Fritz Tabura and John Pages will oversee the conduct of the tournament aimed at giving potential netters from Vis-Min region an avenue to further hone up their skills and show their stuff on a highly-competitive manner.