First Philta Presidents Cup gets going at RMTC today

LOCAL tennis will be buzzing with activity for a week as the first Philta Presidents Cup Age Group Tennis Championships begins today at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Players from all over the country are vying for the boys’ and girls’ titles in five age categories that each offers 200 ranking points to the winner.

Top-seeded players Mik Balce (boys’ 16-and-under) and Mikaela Vicencio (girls’ 16U) drew first-round byes in the week-long Group 1 tournament backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Expected to challenge Balce are Marcus del Rosario, Joshua Austria and Nio Tria while Miles Vitaliano, Macie Carlos and Francesca Marie Cruz could give Vicencio a run for her money.

Salvador Andrada, the former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission and ex-president of Philippine Tennis Association, said the meet will provide a steady stream of talents for the national squad.

“This tournament was created to recognize the efforts of our past presidents at Philta who all worked hard using their own resources to find and develop players for the national team,” said Andrada, Philta’s longest-serving head (1986-2005).