No-show at Rizal, ailing Riza remains a mystery

Riza Angela Zalameda skipped her first-round match in the Holcim ITF Women’s Circuit I yesterday and, thus, remained a big mystery for local tennis watchers curious to see her in action as a member of the RP team in the coming 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

A sizeable crowd came at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center to see Zalameda in action but went home disappointed as the 19-year-old UCLA Bruin sent a message that she won’t show up as she’s confined at the Manila Doctor’s Hospital for gastro-enteritis.

Apparently, Zalameda suffered the ailment during a brief training stint in Subic with some members of the RP team.

Local top bet Czarina Mae Arevalo was among those excited to see Zalameda in action. Arevalo missed the RP team’s trip to Subic as she has just returned from training in India.

"Even Philta (Philippine Tennis Association) people have yet to see her game. This should have been the first time we would see her hit the ball, unfortunately she fell sick," said tournament chief umpire Boy Leonora in Tagalog.

Zalameda, daughter of former RP Davis Cupper Rolly, was seeded sixth in the tourney for her No. 866 world ranking by the International Tennis Federation.

To most of Filipino tennis enthusiasts, Zalameda, however, is known only for her credentials posted in the Internet.

She’s said to be a 5-foot-4 tennis standout at Beverly Hills High School who represented the United States in various international junior competitions, including the 2002 Fed Cup in France.

Zalameda has just led UCLA in fall play, posting a team-best 10 singles victories. She made it to the main draw at the Riviera/ITA All-American and captured the singles and doubles (with Daniela Bercek) titles at the Wilson/ITA Fall Regionals.

She was the top singles player at Beverly Hills High School for four years, leading the school to four-consecutive CIF Team Championships. She became the first player from her high school since 1981 to win the CIF singles title and went on to become a member of the BHHS Hall of Fame.

She played No. 1 singles for the US at the MCB Cup in Australia in 2001 and also traveled to England with Team USA for the MCB Cup in 2002.

Because of her sterling credentials, she earned a pair of doubles wild cards to play in the doubles main draw at the US Open in 2003 and 2004.

Tapped to join Arevalo, Denise Dy and Anja Vanessa Peter in the RP women’s team, Zalameda is expected to provide the Pinoy netters the needed boost in a bid to break a slump in the SEAG.

The men’s team also enlisted Fil-foreign players in Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino to reinforce the squad that includes Patrick John Tierro and Johnny Arcilla.

With the entry of Fil-foreign bets, tennis officials are hopeful they can put in their share for the country’s bid to win the overall championship in the 23rd SEA Games set Nov. 27-Dec. 5.