Showcasing skills and stamina, University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Most Valuable Player Kaye Ann Emana of University of Santo Tomas outplayed rival Elizabeth Abarquez of National University, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, last Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center to book a ticket to the qualifying draw of the Philippine Women’s Open (PWO).

Mixing her shots well throughout the match, Emana reasserted her mastery over the frustrated Abarquez with another straight-set triumph, reprising their clash in the UAAP women’s tennis tournament finals last year.

Even more impressive was the fact that the bespectacled netter was just an hour away from completing a 6-4, 6-4 conquest of top seed Tiffany Nocos in the semifinals after their match was suspended the previous night following the first set due to heavy rain.

When play resumed, Emana showed grit in rallying from a 1-4 second-set deficit to win the next five games and set up a showdown with Abarquez for the coveted wild card ticket in the qualifying meet organized by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“I am thankful to get the wild card (for the Philippine Women’s Open qualifying draw). I also felt nervous because it will be my first time playing stronger players in the qualifying round.”

She credited her strong mindset in recovering from a 0-2 deficit in the first set against Abarquez to force the tie-breaker after they wound up deadlocked at 6-all after 12 games.

“I played up and down in the first set so I just took advantage when I saw that she was getting frustrated most especially when I took a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak,” she said.

Gaining confidence with each shot in the second set, the player was in complete control, surging to an imposing 5-1 lead against her demoralized foe on the way to sealing her slot in the qualifying round of the PWO.

Abarquez acknowledged that she was flustered by her foe’s deceptive and unpredictable switching of shots that disrupted her game, leading to her downfall.

“Her shots were deceptive. I just couldn’t get my game going,” rued the Cebu-based player, stressing that it was virtually the same thing when they played in the UAAP finals last year.

Both players noted the marked improvement of the playing conditions on the resurfaced hard courts with more than a week to go before the start of the country’s first WTA 125 tournament sanctioned by the Women’s Tennis Association.

Philta official and co-PWO tournament director Dyan Castillejo advised Abarquez to keep practicing in case the wildcard opportunity opens up. The qualifying draw will be staged 24 and 25 January before the main draw kicks off 26 January.