Ricardo Lagac delivered a rousing display of grit and composure to rule the boys’ 16U division, stunning top seed Krelz Gecosala in the finals of the Mayor Edwin Olivarez National Junior Tennis Championships held recently in Sucat, Parañaque.
Lagac surged through a gauntlet of seeded players — beating Casimir Briggs, shocking No. 2 Anthony Cosca, stopping No. 5 Karl Almiron, and routing sixth seed Anirudh Palanisamy — before capping his remarkable run with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Gecosala in the finals at the Olivarez Sports Center.
Riding the momentum, the 16-year-old unranked Cebuano also competed in the premier 18U class and sustained his fiery form. He dispatched Jomar Maranga, ousted No. 4 and doubles partner Troan Vytiaco, stunned fifth-ranked Felizardo Lota III, and advanced to the championship after receiving a walkover from Palanisamy.
Facing Almiron in the title duel, Lagac took the opening set, 6-3, stumbled in the second, 1-6, but regained his poise in the deciding set to carve out a thrilling 7-6(4) win.
Jan Cadee Dagoon matched Lagac’s two-title haul to share Most Valuable Player honors, dominating the girls’ side with equal brilliance. The Olongapo City native crushed Ayl Gonzaga, 6-1, 6-1, in the 16U finals before holding off doubles partner Joy Ansay, 6-3, 6-4, to bag the 18U crown in the weeklong event, which served as a side competition to the Open Championship.
In other results, Olongapo’s Cosca rebounded in the boys’ 14-and-U finals, scoring a 6-4, 6-4 upset over top-seeded Gecosala. Tyronne Caro took the boys’ 12U title after Jan Villeno retired at 0-1. Ella Marie Paglaluan bested Gonzaga, 6-1, 7-5, for the girls’ 14U trophy, while Amanda Barrido downed top seed Kyla Caguioa, 6-2, 6-3, to rule the girls’ 12U class.
Liam Harrow captured the 10U unisex crown with a gritty 4-5(5), 4-0, 10-6 victory over Raven de Guzman in the tournament held as part of Olivarez’s long-standing program to cultivate young talents and discover future national team prospects.
In doubles action, Dagoon and Ansay bagged the girls’ 18U title, while Lagac and Vytiaco clinched the boys’ 18U crown.