2 Olivarez Cup champs join WTA Future tilt

FOUR top Filipino junior girl netters lined themselves up for two slots in the prestigious WTA Future Stars in Singapore after barging into the Palawan Pawnshop-Pera Padala-Olivarez Cup age group championship round yesterday at Olivarez Sports Center in Parañaque.

Monica Therese Cruz and Shaira Hope Rivera arranged a title clash for the girls’ 16-under championship after hurdling their respective semifinal opponents.

The top-seeded Cruz, who played in the WTA Future Stars in Singapore last year along with Rafaella Villanueva, crushed Patricia Velez, 6-1, 6-2, while Rivera stunned Villanueva, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Also guaranteed a slot in the WTA Futures is the winner of the girls’ 14-under title which will be disputed by top seed Mikaela Vicencio and Miles Vitaliano.

Vicencio disposed of Mia So, 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinals while Vitaliano stunned second seed Carlyn Bless Guarde, 6-3, 6-3.

The WTA Future Stars will pit the top girls’ 14-under and 16-under players from the Asia Pacific region slated next month.