Rising tennis stars Izabelle Camcam and Aizelle Libonfacil shared Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors in the girls’ division while Vincent Nadal spearheaded the boys’ charge in the just-concluded Dipolog City National Juniors Tennis Championships in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte last Monday.
The Group 2 tournament, part of the Mindanao swing of the PPS-PEPP Junior Tennis Circuit, saw intense competition and emerging talent from various regions, showcasing the depth of young Filipino tennis.
Camcam, representing Muntinlupa, lived up to her top billing in the 16-and-under girls’ division. She displayed dominance from the get-go, conceding only four games en route to the title. Her commanding 6-1, 6-0 win over Gabrielle Bulado in the finals capped her unbeaten run.
However, her bid for a second title was derailed in the 18-and-U finals, where she fell to local standout Alanierose Saldia from Manukan, 5-7, 1-6.
Libonfacil, just 12 years old, also delivered a remarkable campaign.
She crushed Rhiana Cuarto, 6-0, 6-2, to rule her age division.
But like Camcam, she came up short in her second finals appearance, yielding to Tangub City’s Marnelli Solis in a tightly contested 14-and-U championship, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6.
Their performances, though shy of a double-title sweep, were enough to earn them co-MVP accolades for the girls’ division.
In the boys’ side, Vincent Nadal of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, turned heartbreak into triumph. After losing a grueling 16-and-U semifinal match to Bogo City’s Gil Niere, 4-6, 6-4, 14-12, Nadal bounced back with a statement win in the 18-and-U finals, dismantling the same opponent with a 6-2, 6-1 rout.
Kennedy Gumera, also from Tubod, claimed the 16-and-U boys’ crown after toppling Gil Niere in the finals, 6-3, 6-2.