Belacas, Sanches share MVP honors in Digos juniors netfest
MANILA, Philippines — Kresthan Belacas and Cyrelmae Sanchez shared the spotlight as the top performers in the MJFC Araw ng Digos Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships, each winning one title and finishing runner-up in another at the Digos City courts in Davao del Sur over the weekend.
The top-seeded Belacas lived up to his billing in the boys’ 14-and-under singles, dropping just five games in his first three matches before surviving a stern challenge from third-ranked Xian Sugsi in the finals. Belacas produced key breaks at crucial stages to prevail, 6-3, 6-4, and secure the title.
The rising Mlang, Cotabato standout, however, came up short in his bid for a second crown after Kyle Ramos pulled off a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 escape in the boys’ 16-and-U final of the Group 2 tournament, the opening leg of the Palawan Pawnshop Mindanao swing.
The Digos tournament, part of the nationwide junior tennis series organized by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro, kicked off the Mindanao swing, which continues Thursday (Sept. 10) at the Capital Indoor and Outdoor courts in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
The third stop, the Kidapawan Juniors Championship, is set Sept. 16-22 at the Kidapawan City courts in Cotabato.
For details and registration, contact tournament director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Sanchez likewise settled for a title and a runner-up finish after ruling the girls’ 16-and-U division. The Cagayan de Oro ace defeated Justine Gumbao, 6-2, 6-4, but fell short of a second championship as Kirsten Mae Gorre fashioned out a 6-2, 6-3 victory in the girls’ 18-and-U final.
The week-long tournament, hosted by Mayor Josef Fortich Cagas and sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Rating, also produced champions Julius Otoc, Andrei Domasing, Francine Wong and Arissa Macapendeg.
Otoc lived up to his top billing in the centerpiece boys’ 18-and-U division, thwarting Matteo Calingasan, 6-3, 6-4; Domasing likewise stamped his class in the boys’ 12-and-U category, blasting past Gabriel Francisco, 6-3, 6-1, while Wong survived Teresinha Calingasan’s late fightback, 6-1, 7-6(2), to claim the girls’ 14-and-U crown.
Macapendeg completed the singles winners, holding off Sabrina Esiderio, 6-3, 6-4, for the girls’ 12-and-U plum.
In doubles, Gorre teamed up with Aika Salahuddin to drub Camille Clar and Dyan Placa, 8-3, for the girls’ 18-and-U title, while Cedric Evangelista and Francis Florida took the boys’ premier crown with an 8-2 rout of Jhazz Fernando and Rein Hayana.
Teresinha Calingasan and Gumbao also prevailed in the girls’ 14-and-U finals, beating Aiya Poculan and Shan Tuyor, 8-2, while Archie Roceta and Sugsi captured the boys’ 14-and-U diadem with an 8-3 triumph over siblings Cristiano and Maximus Calingasan. (Pool story)
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