Dizon bags 18-U, 16-U titles in Davao jr tennis

MANILA, Philippines - Davao’s Jenni Dizon clinched the 18 and 16-and-under girls’ singles titles in the Davao leg of the fourth Smart-Head junior national tennis age-group satellite Circuit yesterday at the GSIS tennis courts in Davao City.    

Showing her potentials as a future national junior player, Dizon, 14, upset third seed Nikkirey Arandia, 7-5, 7-5, to win the girls’ 18-and-under crown of the tournament participated in by 180 age groupers.

She also showed her class in the girls’ 16-under class where she toppled top seed Jzash Canja, 6-2, 3-6, 10-2, to win the title of the first leg supported by Smart, Head, Chris Sports, Meralco, Maynilad and Toalson.

“I’m so happy to win my first leg title here and not one but two titles,” said Dizon, who is hoping to duplicate the same feat when she competes in the second leg in Koronadal City April 9-12.   

In the boys’ 18-and-under singles, unheralded Joel Cabusas whacked Nico Lanzado, 6-2, 6-2, to gain the crown in the country’s only national junior tennis national tournament supported by Smart Sports and Philippine Tennis Association.   

Fourth seed Jan Jerric Accion whipped second seed Jeleardo Amazona, 6-4, 4-6, 10-5, to take home the boys’ 16-and-under singles title, while John Bryan Otico crushed Christian Fel Lopez, 6-4, 3-6, 11-9, for the boys’ 14 singles crown.

Other Davao champions were Maria Dominique Ong (14-under), Kristin Salimbangon (12-under), Hakeem Duma Bolto (12-under) and Mark Alfred Directo (unisex 10-under).

The girls’ doubles champions were Nikkirey Arandia and Jzash Candia (18-under) and Trina Factora and Khrizzan Dumlao (14-under), while the champions in boys’ doubles were Emer Cariga and Joel Cabusas (18-under).        

Mark Alfred Directo and Hahan Abdul Cariga won the unisex 10-and-under crown.