Junior action to kick off P.4-M PCA Open netfest

The 22nd Philippine Columbian Association Open Tennis Championships, billed as the biggest and longest-running netfest in the country, kicks off Oct. 18 with the junior competitions at the PCA outdoor courts in Plaza Dilao.

Events on tap are boys’ and girls’ 18-under, 16-under, 14-under, 12-under and unisex 10-under divisions. Deadline of entry is at 5 p.m. today.

The P400,000 Open division is slated Nov. 15-25 with the cream of the crop in local tennis, led by defending men’s champion Joseph Victorino and reigning women’s titlist Czarina Mae Arevalo, participating.

Winners will receive P80,000 (men’s singles), P30,000 (ladies singles), P18,000 (men’s doubles) and P8,000 (women’s doubles).

The PCA organizing committee has set up a website (www.pcaopen.org) to reach out to a much wider audience and to make the event more accessible to everyone especially the youth.

To encourage and provide an opportunity for aspiring talents nationwide, the committee is also sponsoring six players from the provinces, three of whom will be given wild cards in the main draw of the men’s singles and doubles events.

Aside from the juniors and Open divisions, corporate team tennis and interclub events will also be held starting Nov. 8.

Players may contact Loida Mallare and Cesar San Juan at the Philta office (525-6434) or tournament director Bobby Mangunay and Anette Reclusado at the PCA Open Secretariat (563-8501 loc. 113, 131, 132 and 562-9278).

Entry fees are P300 (singles) and P500 (doubles) in the Open division, P200 in the juniors and P5,000 in the corporate and interclub divisions.

Meanwhile, spectators will have a chance to win in a raffle at the end of the tournament. Prizes are a trip to Hong Kong for two via PAL courtesy of Las Palmas Travel Agency, four-day and three-night stay in Boracay via SEAIR from Sun Village Resort, one refrigerator and one Sony DVD player.