Shaner Gabaldon and Jairus Peralta delivered stellar performances, securing double victories and sharing MVP honors at the Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. National Junior Tennis Championships, held last Sunday at the Olongapo Tennis Club.
Gabaldon dominated the competition, overpowering top seed Athena Liwag of the host province twice with identical scores of 6-3, 6-1.
Her victories in the girls’ 12-and-under and 14-and-under divisions underscored her readiness for future top-tier junior tournaments.
Peralta, meanwhile, displayed resilience under pressure. He edged past Yuan Torrente, 7-6(4), 6-4, in the boys’ 12-and-under final before staging a remarkable comeback in the 14-and-under championship.
After dropping the opening set, he rallied to defeat Jairo Flores, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, matching Gabaldon’s double-title feat.
The weeklong tournament, part of a nationwide talent search spearheaded by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro, featured intense competition across multiple divisions.
In the boys’ 16-and-under final, Nueva Ecija’s Jayden Ballado mounted a thrilling comeback to edge out Olongapo’s top junior player, Jan Cadee Dagoon, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(2).
However, Dagoon responded with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ballado in the premier 18-and-under division, securing his own title.
Local talents also made an impact. Troan Vytiaco outlasted Anthony Cosca, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to claim the boys’ 16-and-under championship, while Bais City’s Ariel Cabral dominated Frank Dilao, 6-3, 6-3, to secure the boys’ 18-and-under title.
In the 10-and-under unisex division, Balanga, Bataan’s Maximus Calingasan clinched the championship with a hard-fought 4-0, 2-4, 4-1 victory over Zambales’ Kirk Gonzaga.
Junior tennis action continues this week with the Dr. Pablo Olivarez Cup, set to kick off on Thursday, February 20, at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque City. The tournament will be followed by the Governor’s Cup, scheduled for March 6-10 in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
For inquiries and registration, interested participants may contact PPS-PEPP director and tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
In the girls’ 18-and-under doubles final, Ballado and Shiloh Cruz emerged victorious with an 8-5 win over Dagoon and Liwag. Meanwhile, brothers Frank and France Dilao claimed the boys’ 18-and-under doubles crown, edging out Cabral and Cosca, 8-6.
Liwag and Isabel Otaiza secured the girls’ 14-and-under doubles title with an 8-3 rout of Astrid Cablitas and Gabaldon, while Cosca and Flores dominated the boys’ 14-and-under doubles final with an 8-1 victory over Tyronne Caro and Peralta.
Calingasan, the 10-and-under singles champion, teamed up with Gonzaga to capture the unisex doubles title, defeating Julius Bueno and Anya Floreza, 8-2.
