THE Palawan Juniors Tennis Series wraps up its successful three-leg Visayas swing with the Mandaue City Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships where the region’s finest and rising talents battle for honors and ranking points beginning Thursday at the Mandaue City courts in Cebu.
The tournament serves as the final stop of the regional circuit after tournaments in Naga City and Cebu City.
Fresh from a dominant campaign in last week’s Cebu City leg, Matthew Morris faces a tougher challenge as he tries to replicate his title romp.
The Dumaguete City standout captured three crowns, including the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under singles titles and the 18-and-under doubles championship with Jhunreal Espinosa.
This time, however, Morris will have to contend with top seed Aaron Tabura in the premier division, while another showdown with Espinosa looms in the 16-and-under category.
Also expected to contend are Everett Niera, Marcus Sio, Andrio Estrella, Rynel Borgonia, Max Ada and Claudwin Toñacao.
The girls’ divisions are likewise packed with contenders as Mitchellen Cruspero goes for back-to-back titles in the 18-and-under class.
Standing in her way is Donna Mae Diamante, eager to avenge her loss last week, while Juliana Tenepre, Alexa Ong and Christine Palomares.
Cruspero and Diamante are also tipped to renew their rivalry in the girls’ 16-and-under class, where Nadine Seno, Kristina Villaver, Alessandra Garcia, Sabrina Aldeguer, Molly Tan and Abby Castigador are all capable of shaking up the draw.
Titles will also be contested in the boys’ and girls’ 12- and 14-and-under singles divisions, along with the 14- and 18-and-U doubles events.
The Mandaue tournament caps a three-week Visayas campaign following the successful Mindanao leg of the nationwide Palawan Juniors Tennis Series sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and Universal Tennis Rating.