MCLEEN GOMERA hopes to start out strong coming off a break as he shoots for a “double” in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Mayor Luigi Goñi national tennis juniors championships, which get going Thursday at the Bais City Tennis Club courts in Negros Oriental.
Gomera kicked off the new season with an MVP romp with a victory in the 16-under division of the Masters Top 8 in Negros Occidental last month but the Lanao del Norte find skipped the stops in Iloilo, Roxas City and Bacolod, which Brice Baisa dominated to emerge the new toast of junior tennis.
But the Palawan City native won’t be around this week to compete in his first International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament—the ITF Junior Circuit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which starts on Friday.
Gomera, however, expects to have his hands full just the same with the likes of Ariel Cabaral, Masters Top 8 winner in 14-under Josh Lim and Kurt Barrera all primed up for battle in 16-under play of the five-day tournament hosted by Mayor Luigi Goñi in his continuing effort to boost local tennis and keep the youngsters busy and prevent them from gadget addiction.
Gomera also faces an uphill battle in the 18-under class with Vince Serna, Herman Illusorio and Cabaral all set for a title crack even as Angel Vosotros and Therese Gauran brace for a showdown in the girls’ side of the premier division of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Gauran is also ranked No. 2 in the 16-under division led by Louise Paliwag, Alexa Cruspero and Queen Villa gear up for a title clash in the 14-under class, while Lim banners the boys’ 14-under cast that includes Rafa Callao, Murray Bolongaita and Andrian Rodriguez.
Callao also gained the top seeding in 12-under category that also drew Gabrio Serillo, also winner of the Masters Top 8.
Action shifts to Manila next week for the Women’s Open (singles and doubles) at the Philippine Columbian Association courts in Plaza Dilao with the collegiate championship, featuring team and individual competitions, to be held the following week. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
