Mercado steals show; Bona triumphs

Chloe Mercado hit back at two of the national junior tennis circuit's top guns and pulled off a sweep of the girls' 16- and 18-and-under crowns in the PPS Olivarez Group I tournament at the Paranaque Tennis Club and Olivarez Sports Center's courts over the weekend.

While Kendrick Bona completed back-to-back two title feats in the boys' side of the event following a dominant campaign in Biñan, Laguna two weeks ago, Mercado rebounded from semifinal defeats to Sandra Bautista with a 6-2, 7-6(3) reversal over top seed and doubles partner Jana Diaz in the 16-U final.

The Quezon City ace sustained her top form and good condition as she crushed Bautista, 6-2, 6-2, to claim the 18-U trophy and split Most Valuable Player honors with Bona in the week-long tournament presented by Dunlop and sponsored by Mayor Eric Olivarez.

The Bacoor, Cavite-based Diaz held off Bautista from Imus, Cavite, 6-4, 6-7(8), 10-4, in the 16-U semis but the latter scored a 6-1, 5-2(ret,) win over the former in the 18-U Last 4 phase of the event which served as part of the nationwide circuit.