By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
National University returned to the summit of UAAP Men’s Tennis, ending a six-season title drought with a dominant 3-0 win over defending champion University of Santo Tomas in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Finals, late Saturday evening at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in Malate, Manila.
After a hard-fought 3-2 win in Game 1, the Bulldogs only needed two wins to clinch their sixth overall UAAP men’s tennis title—spoiling UST’s bid for a three-peat in the process.
This marks NU’s fourth championship this season, adding to their collection alongside Men’s Badminton, Women’s Taekwondo, and Women’s Beach Volleyball.
Facing a 1–5 deficit in the opening set, Aljon Talatayod delivered a gritty performance to come from behind and stun UST’s Sebastian Santos, 7(7)–6(3), 6–2, sealing the title for the Bulldogs in this tournament backed by Wilson Philippines.
“Ang hirap. Natutuwa ako kasi hindi namin ine-expect na ganun ‘yung magiging lineup nila. Iniba din nila, though ‘yung isang player na nawala for about I think two years siyang nawala,” said NU head coach Bobby Esquivel, referring to Talatayod. “Nakiusap samin na kunin namin siya and even this year, nung first semester, nag-struggle siya sa pag-aral niya and even in the team hindi siya nakiki-practice… then after that he proved his worth naman. I did not expect na siya pa ‘yung mismong magsasara doon. So alam mo ‘yung kaparaanan ng Panginoon, hindi mo masabi.
“We’re so happy. We’re so blessed kasi from the Final Four, tapos natalo kami in the first game, then the next game, how are we going to recover? Parang ang hirap, and then sabi ko nga sa kanila kanina na ‘Imagine-in mo, naisip niyo ba na nandito tayo ngayon? We won the first match last Wednesday, and then today, what do you think?’
“I want them to believe in themselves. ‘Yun ‘yung pinaka-key namin and then of course ‘yung lagi naming sinasabi sa kanila na ‘pag tingin niyo na ginagawa niyo na ang lahat, nahihirapan kayo, that’s the time na dapat na mas mag-step up kayo, that’s the time na mas maging positive kayo and that’s the time na kailangan mas mag-pray kayo,” Esquivel added.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Season 87 Rookie of the Year and co-MVP Andrei Padao gave NU an early advantage, remaining undefeated in singles play after dispatching UST’s Christopher Sonsona, 6-3, 6-0, in the second singles match.
“Sobrang saya kasi syempre, isang taon po namin pinaghandaan ‘to… grabe kasi ‘yung pinagdaanan namin na trainings, ‘yung mga preseason [tournament] pa, kaya sobrang saya po talaga namin na parang nasuklian ‘yung hirap namin tapos ‘yung effort ng mga coaches namin nasuklian din namin sila. Sobrang saya ko kasi, syempre ngayon first year ko palang tapos considering sa course na kinuha ko, Accountancy, syempre mahirap talaga ‘yun… ito ‘yung pinaka-chance talaga na mag-excel talaga ako. Tapos ito lang ‘yung chance na bubuhos talaga ako,” said Padao, who was also named co-Finals MVP.
“Syempre goal ko rin po na mag-Rookie of the Year, di ko naman in-expect na magiging MVP din po. ‘Di ko talaga in-expect na wala talaga akong talo ngayon.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Team captain EJ Tugade, who also took home co-Finals MVP honors, delivered the first major blow to UST with a 6-4, 6-4 upset over co-MVP Nilo Ledama in the first singles match—handing Ledama his first loss of the season.
“First of all, napakasarap talaga sa feeling manalo nitong season na ‘to kasi matagal-tagal na naming inaasam-asam ‘to since Season 85. Sa ngayon, itong nakamit na namin, napakasarap talaga sa feeling. ‘Di ko rin akalain na makukuha namin ‘to ngayong araw. Akala namin, next day pa. But nagapang naman kanina at nakuha din namin ‘yung bawat panalo kanina and nagpapasalamat talaga kami sa nangyari ngayon,” said Tugade.
The Bulldogs now aim to complete a golden double as their women’s team battles UST in the deciding Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Finals tomorrow, Sunday, at 7 a.m.
