The Palawan Juniors Tennis Series wraps up its successful three-leg Visayas swing with the Mandaue City Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships, where another strong field of the region’s finest and rising talents will battle for championship honors and valuable ranking points beginning Thursday at the Mandaue City courts in Cebu.

Serving as the final stop of the regional circuit after tournaments in Naga City and Cebu City, the six-day event is expected to deliver another week of high-level competition as players seek to cap the regional swing with impressive finishes before the nationwide circuit moves on to its next destination.

Fresh from a dominant campaign in last week’s Cebu City leg, Matthew Morris faces a tougher challenge as he tries to replicate his title romp. The Dumaguete standout captured three crowns, including the boys’ 16U and 18U singles titles and the 18U doubles championship with Jhunreal Espinosa.

This time, however, Morris will have to contend with top seed Aaron Tabura in the premier division, while another showdown with Espinosa looms in the 16U category. Also expected to contend are Everett Niera, Marcus Sio, Andrio Estrella, Rynel Borgonia, Max Ada and Claudwin Toñacao.

The girls’ divisions are likewise packed with contenders as Mitchellen Cruspero goes for back-to-back titles in the 18U class. Standing in her way is Donna Mae Diamante, eager to avenge her loss last week, while Juliana Tenepre, Alexa Ong and Christine Palomares hope to pull off breakthrough performances.

Cruspero and Diamante are also tipped to renew their rivalry in the girls’ 16U class, where Nadine Seno, Kristina Villaver, Alessandra Garcia, Sabrina Aldeguer, Molly Tan and Abby Castigador are all capable of shaking up the draw.

Titles will also be contested in the boys’ and girls’ 12U and 14U singles divisions, along with the 14U and 18U doubles events.