KATHLYN BUGNA picked up right where she left off as she swept two titles to match Athena Liwag’s twin victories in the Puerto Princesa National Junior Tennis Championships at the Karawatan-La Paragua Sports Complex in Puerto Princesa City last weekend.
Bugna-who took a well-deserved break after dominating various legs of the Palawan Pawnshop junior circuit in Pasig, Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas, Kalibo, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu-marked her return by capturing the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under singles crowns.
The La Carlota City-Batang Onay ace overpowered Liwag, 6-1, 6-2, in the 16-and-under finals before routing top seed Claire Casiller, 6-1, 6-2, to claim the 18-and-under trophy in the weeklong tournament which is part of Palawan Pawnshop’s nationwide junior tennis circuit led by president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Registration is ongoing for the Mayor Edwin Olivarez National Open Tennis Championships slated November 6 to 23 at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque.
Liwag, meanwhile, got the better of Bugna in the 14-and-under division, taking a 1-0 (ret.) win following a dominant 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Maria Calingasan in the 12-and-under finals.
The rising Olongapo City standout thus matched Bugna’s two-title haul to share MVP honors.
In the boys’ division, Lipa City’s Rafa Monte de Ramos also shone with victories in both the 16-and-under and 18-and-under categories-he prevailed over Aljhon Rombawa via a 1-0 (ret.) then blasted Nicholas Andal, 6-2, 6-1, in the centerpiece division of the tournament sanctioned by Philippine Tennis Association and supported by Dunlop, Universal Tennis and ICON Golf and Sports.
Balanga’s (Bataan) Cristiano Calingasan ruled the boys’ 14-and-under division with a 6-1, 2-0 (ret.) victory over Enzo Masaga, while Quezon City’s Francis Angeles outlasted Diezel Lerit, 7-5, 6-3, to clinch the 12-and-under crown.
Angeles completed a ‘twinkill’ after also bagging the 10-and-under unisex title with a 4-2, 4-1 win over Matias Aguilera.
Bugna and Liwag added doubles titles to their tallies-Bugna with Sofia Aguilera for the girls’ 18-and-under crown, and Liwag with Teresinha Calingasan to rule the 16-and-under event. Jeffrey Morales Jr. and Kyle Teodisio captured the boys’ 14-and-under doubles plum, while Cristiano Calingasan and Troan Vytiaco took the 18-and-under title.
In the men’s side, Sebastian Santos trounced Mingoy Calingasan, 8-2, to claim the singles championship before partnering with Andre Santos for an 8-4 victory over Monte de Ramos and Rombawa in the men’s doubles finals. Santos also teamed up with Rodel Ubay to bag the pro-am doubles crown.
Other winners were Legends (40-and-above): Anthony Josue and Paul Navarro; Legends (50-and-above): Nelvie Funtilon and Roger Ventura; Classified Men’s Doubles (Class B): Rhett Anas and Roger Ventura; Class C: Jaime Fernandez and Neribert Rausa; Class D: Michael Dela Torre and Oliver Dela Torre; and Classified Mixed Doubles: Mera Jopida and Raul Bacosa.