KATHLYN Bugna continued to showcase her dominance in the junior tennis circuit, capturing another impressive triple-title finish, including two in singles play, at the Lapu-Lapu City National Junior Tennis Championships last Thursday in Cebu.
Displaying relentless form in her province-hopping campaign for tennis glory, the 14-year-old phenom powered her way to another singles title in her age category. Ranked second, Bugna stunned top seed Nadine Seno with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory in the finals.
Her near-flawless performance across four matches saw her drop only four games in total, underlining her superiority.
Building on that momentum, the La Carlota City-Batang Onay standout clinched the girls’ 16-and-U crown as well, dismantling Theriz Zapatos, 6-2, 6-2. The back-to-back titles mirrored her earlier success in the MAC’s Crankit tournament, where she triumphed in multiple legs, including Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas and Kalibo.
Bugna’s latest MVP title further solidified her status as the most promising junior talent in the country’s longest-running tennis series – the PPS-PEPP circuit – spearheaded by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Meanwhile, in the boys’ division, fourth-seeded Andrian Rodriguez emerged victorious in the 16-and-U category, edging Robert Laña in a grueling three-set final, 7-6(6), 0-6, 7-5.
Despite falling short in the boys’ 18-and-U championship against Paul Verallo of Bogo City (7-6(6), 6-2), Rodriguez’s combined efforts earned him co-MVP honors alongside Bugna in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop, sanctioned by Philta, and backed by Universal Tennis and ICON Golf & Sports.
In other results, Kenji Kue of Quezon City took the boys’ 14-and-U title with a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win over Phine Billones; Blaze Sotto of Siquijor defeated Blake Aroma, 6-2, 6-4, to claim the boys’ 12-and-U crown; Joshua Ausan from Aklan held off Francis Jopia, 4-2, 5-3, in the 10-and-U unisex division;
Mae Parangan of Balamban, Cebu, captured the girls’ 18-and-U title by beating Atila Deocampo, 6-4, 6-0; while Seno bounced back from her earlier loss to Bugna by dominating the girls’ 12-and-U finals, defeating Loren Nocos, 6-1, 6-2.
Bugna completed a remarkable triple crown by teaming up with Theriz Zapatos to seize the girls’ 14-and-U doubles title. Billones and Ciaran Alipo-On secured the boys’ doubles crown in the same division.
In the girls’ 18-and-U doubles, Atila Deocampo and Besper Zapatos triumphed, while Vincent and Anthony Espinosa claimed the boys’ title.
Meanwhile, the Mindanao swing will be held in Dipolog City from May 22 to 26, followed by a stop in Pagadian City from May 27 to 31.
For details and registration, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-404-6464.
