By Jean Malanum
MANILA – The country’s top juniors, led by Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) bronze medalist and defending singles champion Stefi Marithe Aludo, will see action in the two-leg Oscar J. Hilado J60 World Tennis Championship at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.
They will be up against players from Thailand, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Malaysia and Hong Kong in the U18 event offering World Tennis (formerly International Tennis Federation) points.
The first leg is on July 20 to 26 and the second leg on July 28 to Aug. 2.
Now on its 18th edition, the annual tournament has been renamed in honor of the late Phinma (Philippine Investment Management) Corp. chair emeritus Oscar Hilado, who supported Philippine tennis. He died in September last year at the age of 85.
Organized jointly by Phinma Corp., Phinma Foundation, Inc. and the Philippine Tennis Academy, the tournament grew out of Hilado’s belief that tennis could uplift the lives of underprivileged but promising Filipinos.
By earning ranking points, it opens doors to more international events and improves their chances of pursuing higher education and a professional career. This belief gave rise to a tournament that gives Filipino players from far-flung areas the opportunity to compete against foreign opponents.
“This tournament, now named after our father Oscar J. Hilado, will continue his legacy of investing in our young, promising tennis players. We are honored to continue this commitment to the sport in the years to come,” Phinma Corp. director Michael Hilado said in a news release Sunday.
Past champions include Alexandra Eala, Francis Casey Alcantara, John Bryan Otico, Arthur Craig Pantino, Khim Iglupas and Tennielle Madis.
Aludo bagged two bronze medals at the 33rd SEAG in Thailand last year — in the women’s doubles event with Madis and in the women’s team event, alongside Eala, Shaira Rivera, and Alexa Milliam.
She is in the girls’ main draw along with Jana Jelena Nicole Diaz. Last year, she also won the doubles titles with Madis.
Playing in the qualifying round are Louraine Jallorina, Erynne Francesca Ong, Ayl Xyza Gonzaga, Mikaela Rose Ngu and Katlyn Ann Bugna.
In the boys’ division won by South Korea’s Sehyuk Cho last year, John Kendrick Bona is the lone local in the main draw. Seeing action in the qualifying are Loucas Sebastian Go, Kenzo Marcus Brodeth, Miguel Ricardo Lagac III and Gavin Kraut. (PNA)
