Filipino netters face tough test

MANILA, Philippines—The resolve of junior standouts Albert Lim, Jr. and Tami Nguyen will be put to a more serious test when they compete in a Level 2 tournament this weekend in Anaheim, California.

Lim, 12, is hoping to score a follow-up to his title wins in the 14-under division in the recent Pacific Coast Tennis Championship where he defeated American top seed Chase Lipscomb to clinch the singles title— his ninth of the year.

His partnership with Robert Baylen also enabled Lim to claim his fourth doubles crown of the year after completing a golden double in the Milo Technifibre and Tru-Flex Age-Group tournaments earlier this year.

The Letran freshman made history in the Milo age-group tournament last May when he became the youngest player to win the 18-under diadem.

Nguyen, on the other hand, hopes to improve on her runner-up finish in the women’s open division.

Both Nguyen and Lim are products of the elite program of the Philippine Tennis Academy headed by Romy Chan.

The two, along with David Vorbeck, have been training at the Lizardo Tennis Academy in Los Angeles since last month through the support of Oscar Hilado, Jean Henry Lhuillier, Romy Chan, Hanky Lee, Fr. Fernando Suares and former stars Felix Barrientos and Raymund Suarez.

The academy is headed by former Philippine standout Joseph Lizardo.