Southeast Asian Games standouts Joseph Arcilla and Bien Zoleta bannered the Philippines’ medal harvest in the 2023 Nonghyup Bank Incheon Korea Cup International Soft Tennis Tournament last Monday in Incheon, South Korea.
Arcilla, a gold medalist in the previous SEA Games in Cambodia, bowed to Po Yi Chen of Chinese Taipei, 1-4, in the semifinals to settle for bronze medal in the prestigious continental tournament.
He plucked his second bronze when he reinforced the Filipino squad composed of Samuel Nuguit, Dheo Talatayod and Ryan Carpio in the semifinals of the men’s team event.
Soft Tennis Pilipinas lauded the effort of the men’s team.
“Another podium finish for Philippine Soft Tennis Team as Joseph Arcilla, Samuel Nuguit, Dheo Talatayod and Ryan Carpio won the bronze medal after winning against Cambodia in quarterfinals event here in Korea Cup 2023,” the federation posted yesterday.
“This is the second time that the Philippines won the bronze medal in the men’s team event after 2019.”
Meanwhile, Zoleta, a four-time SEA Games gold medalist from Lucena City in Quezon Province, teamed up with Talatayod to beat a Cambodian squad, 5-0, in the quarterfinals.
They, however, got swept by a Japanese squad, 5-0, in the semifinals to settle for bronze in this tourney that serves as the Filipinos’ buildup for the 19th Asian Games in China in September.
