Dagoon, Cablitas gear up for Zentro Juniors tennis clash

The country’s longest-running tennis talent-search shifts to Pulilan, Bulacan this week, with Jan Cadee Dagoon and Astrid Cablitas leading a stellar cast in the Zentro Juniors Age-Group Championships beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Zentro courts and Pulilan Tennis Club.

Dagoon returns to the junior tennis spotlight brimming with confidence as she shoots for a double crown in the 16- and 18-and-under divisions of the weeklong tournament, which marks the resumption of the Palawan Pawnshop junior circuit following another successful swing through Mindanao in September.

The Group 2, Philta-sanctioned event has drawn a maximum field of 256 players from across the country, with the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under divisions all featuring 32-player draws.

The strong turnout underscores the growing interest in highly competitive junior tournaments, with players chasing not only championship honors but also valuable ranking points across multiple divisions.

Dagoon and Cablitas headline the two premier girls’ singles divisions, with Ayl Gonzaga, Michael Suarez, Ava Banson, Lilith Rufino, Claire Alcala and Amanda Barrido also in the 16-and-U mix.

Gonzaga, Suarez and Banson move up to the 18-and-U field, where they will be joined by Claire Casiller, Ashley Garcia and Sofia Demadara in a deep and competitive cast in the tournament presented by Dunlop under the Palawan Pawnshop junior tennis program initiated by president Bobby Castro, with support from ICON Golf & Sports and Palawan Group of Companies.

For details, pls contact tournament director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Martin Paulsen, Vivan Garg, Anthony Cosca and Troan Vytiaco lead the boys’ 16-and-U roster, while Gavin Kraut headlines the premier 18-and-U division that also features Paulsen, Vytiaco, Cosca and Garg, along with Kianne Cunanan, Raphael Wong and Lucas Gordon.

The tournament will also showcase the country’s emerging young talents in the 14- and 12-and-U divisions.

Ella Paglalunan, Barrido, Rufino and Anica Palacio spearhead the girls’ 14-and-U roster, while Jan Villeno, Juan Antonio Cablitas, Raven Licayan and Godfrey Buan II are among those tipped to contend for the boys’ crown.

Competition is expected to be equally intense in the 12-and-U class, with Liam Harrow, Licayan, Rafael Cablitas and Raven de Guzman leading the boys’ field. Ellythia Comia, Jaynelle Castro and Brielle Loyola are among the players to watch in the girls’ youngest division.

Doubles titles in the boys’ and girls’ 14- and 18-and-U divisions will also be contested in the ranking tournament sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis.

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