Lim declines P2-M PSC offer, signs up with Florida group

MANILA, Philippines — Young tennis star Alberto Lim Jr. politely declined Monday a P2-million offer from the Philippine Sports Commission to bankroll his training because he has signed up with a new management group that will handle his career.

“I want to see how far I can go as a player and to train and campaign in the United States where competitions are tougher,” said Lim during a press conference attended by PSC chair Richie Garcia, commissioner Buddy Andrada and Philippine Tennis Association secretary general Romeo Magat.

The 14-year-old Lim signed up last January with L’Academie de Tennis based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and is now handled by American coach Ollie Townsend.

Andrada, a former Philta president, welcomed the development. “We are happy because we have a partner in developing grassroots tennis,” he said. Ranked No. 174 in the world and the top Asian in the 14-under bracket, Lim is the only Filipino to make the main draw of the Mitsubishi Lancer International Junior Tennis which unveils its 25th edition at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center this week.

“I’m very prepared,” said Lim, fresh from similar Grade 1 events in Malaysia and Thailand.

“I just hope to get a good draw. But I feel good about this tournament.”

The Philippines has won the girls’ singles five times but never the boys’ singles.

Among the previous winners here were Australian Lleyton Hewitt in 1997 and Sania Mirza of India in 2003.