Sisters at heart

In life, nothing is constant except change.

That holds true for sisters Bien and Bambi Zoleta as their partnership may have been dissolved but they will forever be bonded by love, friendship and their passion to excel in racket sports.

Just like other ordinary sisters, Bien and Bambi grew up looking after one another. They started to pick up a tennis racket and actively campaigned in various age-group tournaments around the country when they were elementary students at Maryhill College in Lucena City.

Then, Bien took up AB Consular and Diplomatic Affairs at College of Saint Benilde, prompting Bambi to follow shortly to work on her BS Hotel and Restaurant Management degree.

Bien said growing up in a family of tennis players helped them hone their skills while learning the values of hard work, discipline and teamwork.

“When I was five years old, Bambi and I started playing together win MILO clinics,” Bien said in the previous episode of “Off the Court,” the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“We started playing tennis with our brother Karl. Initially, we played because they wanted us to go to college through an athletic scholarship.”

Bambi said being with her sister in major sports events like the Southeast Asian Games helped strengthen their bond, forging a unique sense of teamwork and camaraderie inside and outside the court.

“I think our bond became stronger. Even in sports, we’re together in lawn tennis, soft tennis, pickleball and, now, padel. We’re always partners in all tournaments. There’s no change in our partnership.”

Soft tennis royalties

With the Zoleta sisters at the helm, the Philippines turned into a soft tennis powerhouse in Southeast Asia.

During the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019, in fact, Bien won the gold medals in the women’s singles event before conspiring with Bambi in the women’s doubles category.

Two years later, she stormed back, winning two gold medals in the 31st edition of the biennial meet in Phnom Penh after ruling the women’s doubles with Princess Catindig. Then, she joined Bambi, Catindig, Christy Sañosa, Fatima Ayesha Amirui and Virvienica Isearis Besojana to the team event title despite suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

“With the help of my NSA (national sports association), my coaches, my team and, of course, my family with Bambi, I was inspired to lead the team to victory. Then, they also motivated me to return to soft tennis,” Bien told Off the Court hosts Jason Mago and Mark Escarlote.

“It was my passion to play and represent the country in major international events, especially the SEA Games.”

But everything wasn’t a bed of roses for the Zoleta sisters.

When Bambi bowed to Dwi Rahayu Pitri of Indonesia in the title match of the women’s singles event, Bien didn’t say a word and, instead, gave her with comforting words that only a real sister can give.

“We know Bambi will strive for it. We were talking after the game and she’s already preparing for the next one,” Bien said.

Bambi said feeling the warmth of her sister’s hug was enough to motivate her to work hard and prepare for the next international battle.

“I really tried to hold back the tears when we were still in the middle of the court but when she (Bien) came in to hug me, I finally broke down,” Bambi recalled.

“Getting a hug from a family member, especially from your sister, is different.”

Both sisters continued to represent the country in soft tennis competitions until recently when Bambi declared that she is no longer part of the soft tennis national team.

“I’m not part of the soft tennis national team anymore. I think the coaches wanted the younger generation for tournaments but I’m okay with it,” Bambi said, adding that she is grateful to the Philippine Soft Tennis Association for giving them the chance to represent the country.

The upcoming 9th Mungyeong Asian Soft Tennis Championships in South Korea from 13 to 23 September could be the first major competition where either Bien or Bambi won’t be in the national roster.

But for Bien, she continues to work hard as they shift their focus to the Asian tilt.

“When it comes to training camp next month, we’ll be a complete team. That’s where we will choose the final line-up for the Asian Championships,” Bien said.

More than sports

Despite the Zoleta sisters no longer playing together in soft tennis, they can still represent the country in an entirely different field — pickleball.

In the WPC Series-Asia Pickleball Open Championship in Pattaya, Thailand last March, Bambi emerged with a silver medal in the women’s doubles women’s doubles 19+ division with Sarah Cable of Thailand as partner while Bien copped a bronze medal in the women’s women’s doubles 35+ open category with Grace Woo as partner.

For Bien, who now works in customer service in Meralco, she is thankful that her company allows her to compete in various international competitions.

“I was able to compete in international events thaks to Meralco’s athletic program. I’m happy my bosses are understanding whenever I leave to compete overseas,” Bien said.

Bambi, for her part, said she is taking a leave of absence from her job at Shangri-La Hotel due to commitments to pickleball and padel.

“Since I have a lot of events to go to, I took a break but soon, I’ll work again this year because my body is still craving for the grind of a day job,” Bambi said.

Even Bambi dipped her fingers in coaching tennis as she was appointed to handle the young Filipino netters in the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors Asia Oceania Pre-Qualifying event in Colombia last year.

“I’m more like an older sister to them because, I think for kids, especially in this generation, if you scold them, they’ll cry,” Bambi said.

“I need to be more patient and I can’t be angry at them all the time. For example, if there are games that have gone bad, you need to be there for them.”

Yes, Bien and Bambi may now be trekking different paths, but the love, friendship and the team work they forged since they picked up a tennis racket still remain the same.

In life, nothing is constant except change. And the Zoleta sisters are gladly embracing that, knowing that their hearts will forever be intertwined — inside and outside the playing court.