Zoleta wins, eyes nat’l team berth

MANILA, Philippines - Amanda Gabrielle “Gaby” Zoleta racked up six victories on the local juniors tennis circuit halfway through the season as she geared up for the Milo national finals and a crack for a spot in the Philippine team vying in the Malaysian circuit.

The 11-year-old Zoleta dominated her rivals to cop the 12-and-under crown in the Head Graphene Jr. Tennis Satellite Circuit Leg 10 in San Pablo, Laguna recently, capping another impressive campaign for the International School for Better Beginnings student, one of the country’s fast-rising stars in the ranks.

The Lucena City native also swept the 12- and 14-and-under crowns in the Milo NCR Junior Tennis Cup and took the 12-and-U plum and finished second in the 14-and-U section in the Milo Luzon Clark age-grouper in Pampanga both last month.

She also topped the 14-and-U category in the Palawan Pawnshop age-group meet in Los Baños, Laguna and bagged the fifth LCTC age-group tennis challenge title in Lucena City last April.

The Wilson-backed Zoleta also posted five runner-up finishes and missed clinching a stint in the World Championship in Canada as the Philippines, which included Miko Eala, Nio Tria and Alex Eala, settled for bronze in the 12-and-U category of the South East Asian Junior Tennis Championships in Jakarta recently.

Zoleta will take a break before undergoing a month-long training as part of her build-up for the Milo national finals in August where the winner will gain a berth in the national team competing in the four-leg Malaysian circuit in Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Langkawi.

She is also lined up to vie in the PCA Juniors, the PSC-Philta age-group championships and the Olivarez Junior age-group tournament later this year.