Huge field vies in Palawan Kidapawan netfest

MANILA, Philippines - The Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group 2014 kicks off its Kidapawan leg tomorrow with a big field led by the leading junior players in Mindanao vying for top honors in various divisions in Kidapawan in Cotabato City.

So huge is the field that the organizing Kidapawan City Tennis Club had to tap other courts to stage some of the events in the boys’ and girls’ 12-and-under, 14-, 16- and 18-U plus the 10-unisex division of the Group 3 tournament presented by Palawan Pawnshop and backed by Technifibre as official ball.

“This is the first time that this has happened here in Kidapawan City and we thank the Mindanao Tennis Court, the Elai TC, the Makilala TC, the Piñol TC and the NFA TC for making their respective venues available and for accommodating some of the matches,” said KCTC president Ricky Santos.

Registration is ongoing. For details, contact, Jessicah Haro at 0929-2377893.

Entries come from Davao City, Digos, Tagum, Malita, Kabacan, Midsayap, Makilala, Pikit, Sultan Kudarat, Koronadal, Tuip and Gen. Santos City.

“It has been our desire to give our young players a top-level tournament where they can pit their skills and talent and develop them to become future members of the national pool,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

All categories in the boys’ section, plus the 10-unisex, drew the maximum 32-player field except in the 14-and-U where it surpassed the limit, forcing the organizers to hold a qualifier. The girls’ 12- and 14-and-U classes also lured the maximum number of field, further underscoring the big field competing in the four-day event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.

“It’s just nice and inspiring to see this huge field this weekend and it’s to the credit of Palawan Pawnshop and host KCTC for generating so much interest from among the youth in various parts of Mindanao,” said Philta president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

Shaira Hope Rivera hopes to sustain her fierce form coming off a twinkill at M’lang last week as she leads the chase in the girls’ 16- and 18-and-U categories even as Andre Sing guns for a repeat of his romp in the 10-unisex division.