Dhea Cua continued to flaunt her exceptional skills in the Davao region swing of the PPS-PEPP junior tennis circuit, scoring another double victory in the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under categories in the Gov. Yvonne Cagas Championships at the Bansalan Tennis Club in Davao del Sur last Sunday.
The third-ranked Cua, 16, scuttled No. 2 Camille Clar, 6-1, 6-1, in the semis of the lower half of the draw then drubbed top seed Aika Salahuddin, 6-4, 6-0, to rule her age-group division.
The Kidapawan City find then repeated against Clar, 6-0, 6-0, in the semis of the 18-and-U class then held off doubles partner Sanschena Francisco, 6-0, 7-5, to re-assert her dominance in the Group 3 tournament presented by Dunlop.
The twin victories added to her recent successes in the Gov. Edwin Jubahib Cup in Davao del Norte and the Mayor Josef Fortich Cagas in Digos City over the past three weeks, further strengthening her confidence as the PPS-PEPP circuit, sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, moves to Kidapawan City starting Thursday.
Digos City’s Stephen Fuertes mirrored Cua’s achievements in the boys’ side, overpowering Iñigo Barrios twice with identical 6-1, 6-3 scorelines to clinch the 16- and 18-and-U trophies and earn him the MVP honors anew alongside Cua. Fuertes also topped the two age categories at home.
Other winners in the week-long event, sanctioned by Philta and UTR and supported by Slazenger, the PPS National Tennis Championships and the LGU, were Princess Placa from Digos City, and Midsayap, Cotabato’s Krelz Jan Gecosala (14-and-U); Justine Zaia Gumbao from Sultan Kudarat and Mlang, Cotabato’s Kresthan Belacas (12-and-U); and Francis Dimzon from Davao de Oro (10-and-U unisex).
Placa rapped Francine Wong, 6-2, 6-2; Gecosala clipped Wayne Bondoc, 6-1, 6-1; Gumbao upended top seed Wong, 6-4, 6-1; Belacas wore down Francis Florida, 6-1, 5-7, 10-7; and Dimzon stunned No. 1 Daneea Sinsuat, 5-3, 4-1.
Cua and Fuertes also won the 18-and-U doubles titles with the former and Francisco beating Chelsea Bernaldez and Clar, 8-3, and the latter and Barrios repulsing Fritz Gravador and Gabriel Mayor, 8-5.
Rhea Palac and Sinsuat took the 14-and-U trophy with an 8-2 romp against Pat Bonilla and Diana Macasaet, while Carl Eduarte and Gecosala dominated Sheldrick Evangelista and Francis Florida, 8-1, in the boys’ final.
