Kimi Brodeth scored an expected sweep of the girls’ two top crowns but brother Kenzo upended top seed Cyd Villamar in 16-U play to likewise complete a two-title romp in the Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez National Junior Tennis Championships at the Ormoc Midtown Tennis Club over the weekend.
The in-form Kimi continued her dominant run in the three-leg Leyte swing of the PPS-PEPP junior circuit, shutting out Kate Imalay, 6-0, 6-0, in the 16-U finals then crushing Corazon Lambonao, 6-1, 6-4, in the premier 18-U side of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
The 16-year-old rising star from Ormoc earlier swept the Maasin and Baybay legs with her latest pair of victories underscoring her fierce form and readiness to level up in pursuit of more junior honors.
For his part, Kenzo ripped Christian Laguna, 6-0, 6-3, to claim the 14-U trophy then rallied from a set down to repulse Villamar with a gutsy stand in the decider, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6, as the Brodeths became the first siblings to share MVP honors in the country’s longest-talent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
While Kimi sustained her top form, Kenzo’s win over Villamar made up for his failed bid in Baybay when he yielded to Gio Manito, 7-9, in a tight third set battle in 16-U finals, thus missing clinching the MVP trophy.
Sharing the spotlight in the event, hosted by Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez and which served as part of the OMTC’s youth sports program through president Dr. Bingcol Rodriguez, were Bogo, Cebu’s Claudwin Toñacao and Ormoc’s Ma. Caroliean Fiel (12-U), Gerald Gemida, also of Ormoc (boys’ 18-U), Cebu City’s James Estrella (10-unisex), and Danao, Cebu’s Imalay (14-U).
The top-seeded Toñacao smothered Xian Calagos, 6-2, 6-2, while Fiel clobbered Chrystell Laguna, 6-3, 6-2; Gemida blasted Nicholas Ocat, 6-3, 6-1; Estrella foiled Fiel, 5-3, 5-4(3); and Imalay tripped Laguna, 6-0, 6-0.
Meanwhile, action moves to Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig for the PPS-PEPP Group I tournament starting Thursday. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
