PCA Open keeps ties with Philta

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) will maintain its strong ties with the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) as it prepares to host the 36th PCA Open tennis championships later this year.

Manuel Misa, PCA vice chairman and former Philta president, said this year’s PCA Open would be no different than the past as it will remain sanctioned by Philta, the governing body for tennis in the country.

“The PCA will continue its relationship with Philta, which is the only tennis association recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF),” said Misa.

This year’s PCA Open, the longest-running tennis tournament in the country, will be staged sometime in September.

Misa also hailed the support of the Cebuana Lhuillier Group of tennis patron Jean Henry Lhuillier on the PCA Open.

“The PCA Open has been running for the past 35 years but for the past nine years, Cebuana Lhuillier has been its main sponsor. The PCA truly appreciates the support of Mr. Lhuillier,” added Misa.

The PCA Open is the country’s premier tennis tournament, and is billed as “the Wimbledon of the Philippines.”

It has produced some of the country’s finest tennis players like Felix Barrientos, Rolando So, Raymond Suarez, Beeyong Sison, and more recently Johnny Arcilla and PJ Tierro, who have all played in the Davis Cup.

“All the great tennis players in the country went through the PCA Open. In the Philippines, it’s the PCA or the Olivarez Tennis Center,” said Misa.

The Olivarez Tennis Center, a brainchild of Dr. Pablo Olivarez and Mayor Edwin Olivarez of Parañaque, has produced tennis champions like Ody Gabriel, Rod Rafael, Sarah Rafael, and the Olivarez sisters, Edna and Eva.