Therese Gauran hopes to draw inspiration from the home crowd as she sets out for a multiple title drive in the PPS-PEPP Tayasan national tennis championship, which got under way yesterday at the Tayasan Municipal courts in Negros Oriental.
But the 14-year-old Gauran will need more than motivation to achieve a three-title feat as Louise Paliwag from Valencia is all primed for their expected duel in the former’s age bracket with Alexa Cruspero, Cadee Dagoon and a slew of others also going all-out to fuel their respective bids.
Bacolod’s Hannah Divinagracia, on the other hand, looms as a big threat to the projected Gauran-Paliwag face-off in the 16-U division following her title romp in last week’s San Carlos City leg.
Gauran, Paliwag and Divinagracia are also tipped to crowd for the 18-U trophy with the likes of Paula Barte, Glaiza Requilme, Alexa Cruspero and siblings Marissa and Maria Huit likewise coming into the Group 2 tournament all geared up.
The title chase in the boys’ side of the event is also expected to be fierce and tight with Ayeen Pantaran and Ariel Cabaral bannering the 18-U cast and Kurt Barrera, Marc Cruspero, Jhondale Lutero and Cabaral gearing up for a skirmish in 16-U play.
Barrera also headlines the 14-U field that includes David Sepulveda, Rafa Callao and Murray Bolongaita with Sepulveda, from Pardo, Cebu, seeking redemption in the 12-U category after yielding to Matthew Morris in the finals in San Carlos City that snapped a run of victories in the youngest age division of the circuit.
