National bets bring home silver, 3 bronzes from Asian soft tennis

CHIAYI, Taipei – Bien Zoleta took one silver and three bronze medals while powering Team Philippines to third place in team competition in the seventh Asian Soft Tennis Championships at the Chiayi Sports Park in Chiayi, Taipei Tuesday.

The diminutive Zoleta teamed up with playing coach Divine Escala to whip fancied Chinese Taipei duo Chang Wen Hsin and Chu Yun Hsuan, 5-2, in women’s doubles quarterfinals. But the duo bowed to eventual gold medalists Kim Ae Kyung and Joo Og of Korea, 2-5.

Zoleta, the current Philippine National Games singles champion, also towed the Phl women’s team past Macau 2-0, before bowing to eventual winners Japan, 0-2, in the medal round. 

“Our players’ maturity has given them the fighting edge but emphasis should also be on physical conditioning to enable them to be at par with the players from Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei,” said soft tennis president Col. Jeff Tamayo.

The team, whose stint was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, the Asian Soft Tennis Federation and sports patron Antonio Tamayo, recently scored victories in the Southeast Asian Soft Tennis Federation (SEASTF) Open and Junior Championships in Sabah, Malaysia.

The Phl men’s team, meanwhile, edged Mongolia, 2-0, in a pair of heart-stopping tiebreaks to barge into the semis against powerhouse Japan.

Jhomar Arcilla and Mikof Manduriao saved two match points in thrilling fashion to overcome Bolortuya Enkhjin and Tsodbadrakh Bilguun 5-4 (8-6) for Team Phl’s first point, before Joseph Arcilla crawled back from a 1-3 deficit to nip Lkhagvansuren Temujin, 4-3 (7-4) in singles to clinch the victory.

Jopy Mamawal and Davis Alano retired Uchirsaikhan Bayasgalant and Gantulga Enkhtuvshin for the Philippines’ first-ever win over Mongolia since 2008.