TOP seed Marian Capadocia defeated second seed Alexa Joy Milliam, 7-6 (6), 6-0, to pocket the women’s singles title in the first Metro Manila Open tennis tournament at the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) indoor shell court in Paco, Manila, over the weekend.
Displaying the form of a seven-time PCA Open champion, Capadocia recovered from a 1-4 deficit to take the lead at 6-5.
The 17-year-old Milliam, who hails from La Carlota, Negros Occidental, held her serve in the next game to force the tiebreak that her more experienced opponent won, 8-6.
Capadocia, a member of the national team, waxed hot in the second set, using a variety of shots that Milliam, still nursing a hamstring injury she sustained in 2019, tried but failed to counter.
“I’m just trying to get a feel of the game in the first set. She’s also playing well, ” said the 27-year-old Capadocia, who beat Milliam, 6-2, 6-2, in their semifinal match at the PCA Open last year.
Milliam, eyeing a second title after the Rina Cañiza Open last February, took her defeat in stride.
“I’m happy to be in the final. I know it’s hard to beat Marian, she’s a very good player,” she said. “I hope to do better next time.”
Capadocia took the champion’s purse worth P150,000 while Milliam settled for P75,000.
Qualifiers Elizabeth Abarquez and Rovie Baulete scored a 6-3, 1-6, 10-3 upset victory over top seeds Shaira Hope Rivera and Alyssa Mae Bornia to pocket the women’s doubles title in event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.
Abarquez teamed up with Rucel Cero to claim the mixed doubles title over qualifiers Stefie Alludo and Joewyn Pascua, 7-6, 2-6, 10-3.
