Seno conquers Palawan netfest, secures 3 titles

Bogo City standout Etha Nadine Seno stamped her class on the Palawan Pawnshop Dipolog Juniors Age Group Championships, sweeping both girls’ singles crowns and adding a doubles title in a dominant campaign at the RGS and Mibang courts in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, last Sunday.

The 14-year-old lived up to her top billing in both singles divisions, displaying remarkable consistency and all-around court savvy to rule the girls’ 14U and 16U classes before capping her three-title romp with the 18U doubles crown.

Seno dropped just four games in three matches en route to the 14U finals, where she weathered a late challenge from Aizelle Libonfacil to prevail, 6-0, 7-5, and secure the first of her two singles titles.

She was even more dominant in the 16-and-U division, sweeping her first three matches without dropping a game before overwhelming Angelica Acido, 6-0, 6-1, in the final to emerge as the tournament’s lone double-gold winner.

Far from done, Seno teamed up with Gabrielle Bulado to beat Joy Busig and Princess Pampula, 8-5, and complete her three-title sweep in the weeklong Group 2 tournament.

The event launched a two-leg Mindanao swing of the Palawan Pawnshop tennis talent-search program, spearheaded by president and CEO Bobby Castro and sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis, with support from Dunlop, ICON Golf & Sports and the Palawan Group of Companies.

In the boys’ division, Muhammad Keyan Sarip of Marawi City shared Most Valuable Player honors with Seno after capturing the 16U singles title and finishing runner-up in the 18U class.

Sarip trounced Kim Tatad III, 6-0, 6-2, to rule the 16U division but fell short of completing his own singles double, bowing to unranked Sky Bacongga, 6-4, 6-4, in a major upset in the 18U final.

Bacongga’s breakthrough victory underscored the competitive depth of the long-running circuit, which seeks to discover and develop young tennis talent, particularly in the countryside.

Prince Centino defeated Sherwin Gom-Os, 6-3, 6-4, to capture the boys’ 14U crown, while Zachary Bariquit outlasted Francis Dadan, 7-5, 6-4, in a hard-fought duel for the boys’ 12U title.