TENIELLE Madis (left) and Stefi Marithe Aludo smile after emerging victorious in the girls’ doubles event of the J60 PHINMA-ITF Championships on Sunday. Also shown is Philippine Tennis Academy chairman Romy Chan.  Photograph courtesy of PHINMA-ITF
TENNIS

Madis, Aludo grab ITF doubles diadem

DT

Philippine Tennis Academy players Tennielle Madis and Stefi Marithe Aludo conquered the girls' doubles title in the first leg of the J60 PHINMA-ITF Championships that concluded Sunday at the Manila Polo Club shell court in Makati City.

The third-seeded Filipinos stunned No. 2 Taiwanese pair Yuhan Chen and Yu-Ning Tsai, 6-2, 7-5, to secure their fifth crown.

To reach the championship round, Madis and Steffi ousted No. 2 Japanese Aoi Watanabe and Taiwanese Yesung Choo, 6-4, 6-2.

Chen and Tsai, on the other hand, defeated Australian Taylah Lessue and Korean Seojin Park, 6-2, 6-4.

In the singles finals, South Korea's top junior Choo defeated No. 7 Aludo, 6-2, 6-2.

"I think I just won the title by doing my best in the match," said Aludo, the 16-year-old member of the Destiny Tennis Academy who ranks No. 265 in the ITF Juniors.

Aludo held her serve at 1-3 and broke Choo's serve at 2-5 in the second set. But the Korean played steadier to claim victory.

"She (Choo) really played very well, I tried my best. I hope to perform better in the second leg," added Aludo, who eliminated No. 2 Watanabe, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the semis.

Meanwhile, third seed Korean Min Hyuk Cho downed second seed compatriot Tae Woo Kim, 7-5, 6-3, to capture the boys' singles title.

In the doubles finals, second seeds Kim and Taiwanese Kuan-Ting Chen triumphed over No. 4 Taiwanese duo Kousuke Ko and Kuan-Hsien Yu, 7-5, 6-1.