First Gen Juntaphil age group tennis on

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top and rising junior tennis players take center stage beginning today, all hoping to come up with impressive finishes in the First Gen Juntaphil Metro Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Mimo Tomacruz, Christian San Andres, Eric Olivarez Jr., Betto Orendain, Paul Nicole Magaway head the field in the boys’ category while Maia Balce, Marian Jade Capadocia, Alexandra Louise Lopez, Samantha Coyiuto and Shannin Olivarez are the fancied bets in the girls’ side of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and organized by the Junior Tennis Association of the Philippines (Juntaphil).

Events on tap in the seven-day tournament, sponsored by Smart Communications and presented by First Gen Corp., are the 10-under unisex, 12-under, 14-under, 16-under and 18-under for boys and girls (singles) and 10-under unisex. 14-under and 18-under for boys and girls (doubles).

Forty six players are listed in the boys’ 16-under class while 44 are competing in the boys’ 14-under division of the tournament, considered as the breeding ground of tennis talents in the country.

Gracing the opening set at 8 a.m. today are First Gen chief financial officer Francis Giles Puno, Smart Sports’ Anton Almeda and Carlo Leviste, Philta sec-gen Gen. Romeo Magat, Juntaphil president Edward Puno and former junior standout Jennifer Saberon.