Cagayan Valley tennis gets major boost

MANILA, Philippines – Tennis enthusiasts in Region II are in for a treat as the Palawan Pawnshop National Tennis Championships (PPS NTC) and the Cagayan Valley Tennis Federation (CAVALTEF) recently joined forces to revitalize and elevate the tennis program in Cagayan Valley.

The signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PPS NTC and CAVALTEF sets the stage for the Mayor Doc Totep Calderon National Championships slated May 24 to June 2 at the Lado del Rio Resort courts in Roxas, Isabela. The event will showcase competitions across various categories, including the Open singles and doubles events, which will feature the country’s leading players and emerging talents.

Mayor Calderon expressed his enthusiasm for the project, highlighting its potential to elevate tennis in Roxas, Isabela, and serve as a platform to discover young talents for national events.

The event will also feature juniors competitions in 10-and-under unisex, 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under categories for boys and girls. The 10-day tournament will also include matches in the Legends, men’s doubles for different age groups, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Registration is ongoing. For details, contact tournament coordinator Karla Gomez at 0917-8072203.

CAVALTEF president Rolly Guañez aired his optimism about the project’s potential to develop the sport in Cagayan Valley, ensuring that the region remains competitive on the national stage.

PPS NTC sports program director Bobby Mangunay also emphasized the importance of promoting tennis events in Region II, guaranteeing that the region catches up with the tennis programs in other parts of the country.

The PPS NTC is a comprehensive event encompassing professionals, legends, seniors, club and junior players, with focus on grassroots development. As part of the initiative, a community coaching conference will be held to enhance the skills and knowledge of local mentors.

The next legs of the tournaments will be hosted by the Tuguegarao Tennis Club and the municipalities of Aparri and Ballesteros, continuing the nationwide program initiated by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, with support from CAVALTEX, Dunlop, Universal Tennis and ICON Golf and Sports.

CAVALTEF comprises various tennis clubs from across the region, including Roxas, Ilagan, Cauayan, Alicia, Solano, Bayombong, Tuguegarao, Aparri, Ballesteros, Lasam, Baggao, CSU, Alliance, Tabuk, Santiago and Joma.