MANILA, Philippines–Top Filipino tennis star Francis Alcantara is facing another tough tennis match. This time it is over—not in—a tennis court.
The 27-year-old former Australian Open juniors doubles champion is leading a group opposing the demolition of the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club in his hometown Cagayan de Oro.
“That is where I started playing tennis probably at age four,” Alcantara told the Inquirer.
The tennis club, which has two concrete courts and one clay court, is just across Alcantara’s old family house. The long-time national player and Davis Cupper calls the club “my home court.”
The same court also produced national team stalwarts like Roxanne Resma and Marisue Jacutin, who like Alcantara blossomed and became good enough to snag a tennis scholarship in the United States.
Alcantara earned his communications degree at Pepperdine University while serving as one of Philippine tennis’ main men.
Barangay officials reportedly want to demolish the courts to give way to more buildings.
But the club found an ally in city hall, which insisted that such a move requires authorization from city administration.