Cebuano Sally Mae Siso solidified her status of being one of the best in the country after winning the girls’ 14-under title in the Truflex Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial tennis courts.

Siso bagged her first national title of the year by defeating Samantha Cuyioto, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the championship game.

Interestingly, it was the first time that Cuyioto won a set against Siso.

"Ikadaghan na sila nagka-meet pero karon pa jud naka three-set game si Samantha niya," said Sally Siso, mother of Sally Mae.

Sally Mae, who just competed in Jakarta, is scheduled to arrive Cebu today.

She will stay for a while and will return to Manila immediately for her training for the upcoming 2008 Asia-Oceana World Junior Tennis Championship on April 21 to 27 in Shenzen, China.

Siso will represent the country along with Shanine Olivares, Macey Gonzales, Arjohn dela Cruz and Enrique Ferrer.

The first-year high school student of the University of San Carlos (USC) will just take her final exams and process her papers for China here before starting her practice.

Meanwhile, Cebuano Jacob Lagman failed to continue his winning ways after losing in the final of the boys’ 12-U class against Arjohn dela Cruz, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6.

According to Julie Lagman, mother of Jacob, the loss serves as a learning experience for her son.

She said Jacob will use this experience as motivation for practice as he is expected to compete in the 2008 Palarong Pambamsa on April 20 to 27 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Lagman will represent Region 7 in the elementary boys tennis event. Correspondent Ronald M. Natulla