Tennis angels could be Games golden girls

Meet the "Spice Girls" of Philippine tennis. Or better yet, as one of them suggested, the "Fantastic Four." But no matter how they end up being called, these four young, lovely and talented ladies will be hitting those tennis balls for the Philippines as they shoot for the gold in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

In a rare group interview the other day, they bared their expectations in the SEA Games, set Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, and how proud they are to represent the country.

Czarina Mae Arevalo, a 20-year-old Ateneo student, will provide the leadership in the RP women’s team, being a full-blooded Filipina who has won a couple of medals in the past SEA Games.

But she’s never won the gold. And she hopes everything would change this time as she competes in the singles event before her proud countrymen. This could be her last shot at the gold.

"I was only 14 when I won the silver in the (1999) Brunei SEA Games. Now I’m 20. I’m just hoping for the best," said Arevalo whose deep tan speaks well of the countless hours she has spent in training.

Arevalo will play in the singles event along with Anja Vanessa Peter, a 17-year-old who’s definitely more than just a pretty face on and off the tennis courts.

A certified head-turner, Peter was born in Saudi Arabia. Her father, Siegfried, is German while her mother, Florita, is Filipina who works as a ground stewardess.

"We’ll just try our best," said Peter, who finished high school at the Schillerschule in Germany. Like Arevalo, she’s just as proud to represent the Philippines in the SEA Games. Action in men’s and women’s tennis is set at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Denise Dy is the third member of the women’s team, which is being managed by sportsman Jean Henri Lhuillier. The youngest at 16, she’s also tall, tanned and pretty. She’s based in San Jose, California and is into home study.

Dy said she’s having a good time here in the Philippines where she considers herself an "NPA" (no permanent address). She was born in San Jose, her father Ricardo an architect, and mother Divina a real estate broker.

As expected, she’s proud to be a member of the Philippine team.

"Of course," said Dy, also armed with a cute, little smile.

The last member of the RP team, but certainly not the least, is 19-year-old Riza Zalameda. Also born in the USA, she honed her tennis skills while playing and at the same time studying at UCLA.

It was Zalameda who added more spice to the interview with her cool outfit — camouflage cap, basketball jersey, low-rise jeans and white flip-flops. She carries the "Beyonce" (the American pop star) look to the letter.

Zalameda will play doubles with Dy and has expressed confidence that they can go all the way.

"It’s going to be different. Playing individually and playing for your country is different. For sure it’s going to feel different because you have more people pushing and cheering for you — not just your coach and your dad," she said.

"I just hope the people will come to watch us play. So we will have the edge," she added. No doubt the fans will be there to root for these four lovely ladies —be it the "Spice Girls" or the "Fantastic Four."