
JAN Cadee Dagoon (second from left) shares the Most Valuable Player honors with Krelz Gecosala (second from right) as they dominate the Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao netfest in General Santos City. With them are GenSan City Tennis Club board member Atty. Jun Lagare (left) and GSCTC president Marlon Aquino.
Photograph courtesy of pps
Jan Cadee Dagoon continued her blazing run on the national junior circuit, delivering another commanding performance at the Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao National Junior Tennis Championships at the General Santos City and Camp Lira courts on Monday.
Fresh off a string of victories in Luzon, the rising Olongapo City standout stamped her class with a pair of dominant wins in the girls’ singles division. She overwhelmed doubles partner Francine Wong, 6-2, 6-0, to capture the 16U crown, then secured the 18U title after homegrown bet Brheighanna Buban retired with Dagoon ahead, 1-0.
The victories mirrored her recent romps in the MAC’s Crank Kit and Zopiya Morales tournaments, underscoring her strong bid for valuable ranking points and solidifying her place among the country’s brightest young stars.
Dagoon capped her stellar campaign by teaming up with Wong to subdue Buban and Precious Lara, 8-5, in the 18U doubles finals, emerging as the lone triple gold medalist in the tournament, part of the nationwide Palawan Pawnshop junior tennis program spearheaded by president and CEO Bobby Castro.
On the boys’ side, Jan Krelz Gecosala matched Dagoon’s singles feat with a double-title romp. The Midsayap, Cotabato native scored a 1-0 (ret.) win over Aljaven Lumambas in the 16U finals, then rallied past Vanz Abecia, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, to clinch the 18U trophy in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the city mayor. The event served as the kickoff leg of a five-stop Mindanao swing.
The circuit heads next to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, before moving to Matalam, Cotabato; Digos City; and Tagum City. The PPS-PEPP circuit features 60 junior tournaments and 12 Open events this season.