Cadee Jan Dagoon continued her stellar play, while Samuel Davila dazzled on home turf, each securing MVP honors through a victory and a runner-up finish in the PPS-PEPP Cainta National Tennis Championship at the Village East Tennis Club in Cainta, Rizal last Sunday.
Dagoon replicated her success in Olongapo by claiming the girls’ singles 14-and-under crown and finishing second in the 16-and-U division. She subdued doubles partner Ayl Gonzaga, 6-2, 7-6(3) in the 14-and-U final, but fell to Joy Ansay, 6-3, 6-0, in the 16-and-U title match.
Davila, who upended fancied rivals to snare the boys’ 16-and-U trophy in the previous Group 1 tournament, narrowly missed retaining the crown, bowing to top seed Kraut Gavin, 6-1, 6-4. However, he triumphed in the premier 18-and-U class, scoring a 1-0(ret.) victory over No. 1 Ariel Cabaral.
Those finishes earned Dagoon and Davila the MVP titles in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and held as part of the country’s premier talent-search sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Both players also excelled in doubles, with Davila teaming up with Lucas Go to trounce Cabaral and Raphael Paglalunan, 8-2, in the 18-and-U final. Dagoon and Gonzaga edged out Lilith Rufino and Carolina Fandino, 8-7(3), in a nail-biting girls’ 14-and-U championship.
Meanwhile, the circuit moves to Roxas City, Capiz on April 18-22 with another large turnout expected. For details and registration, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
In other results, Quezon City’s Chloe Mercado continued to dominate the girls’ 18-and-U category, bucking a first-set scare to foil Reece Ballado, 7-6(4), 6-2, while Ella Paglalunan routed top seed Isabel Ataiza, 6-0, 6-1, to pocket the girls’ 12-and-U title.
Makati City’s Alexandre Coyiuto, on the other hand, took the boys’ 14-and-U crown with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Troan Vytiaco, while QC’s Marcus Go added another win in the boys’ 12-and-U class by crushing Matthias Go, 6-0, 6-0.
Bataan’s Jacob Dizon also repeated in 10-and-U unisex category of the event sanctioned by Philta and UTR, ripping Francis Angeles, 4-0, 4-2. He also partnered with Maximus Calingasan to pocket the 10-and-U unisex doubles crown via an 8-6 decision over Azl Gonzaga and Terrence Bataliones.
Ansay and Ballado reigned in the girls’ doubles’ 18-and-U with an 8-5 victory over Mercado and Elyssa Abellera, while Matthias Go and Cristiano Calingasan bagged the boys’ 14-and-U crown with an 8-6 win over Vytiaco and Joshua Stewart.
