SEAG champ wants soft tennis to gain mainstream appeal

Soft tennis may have finally hit the jackpot with its three-gold medal haul for the Philippines in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games.

And Bien Zoleta-Mañalac has plans to sustain the gains of that feat and push the sport into the mainstream.

“It is our dream to extend the scope and range of soft tennis in the country,” Mañalac, 30, told the Inquirer. “With our SEA Games victory, we hope it could gain wider audience and more people will pick up the sport.”

A former tennis player, Mañalac said more people should play the sport because it doesn’t put much premium on physical attributes, but on skills and speed.

Those where what keyed her championship victory over Kawengai Anadeleyda of Indonesia for the country’s first ever gold in SEA Games soft tennis.

“It was unbelievable, a life-changing win for me; I know it would be very special for the whole of Philippine soft tennis, too,” Mañalac added.

She and younger sister Bambi Zoleta stunned a formidable Thai pair to also snatch the women’s doubles—and the country’s 100th gold medal.

Philippine soft tennis chief Col. Jeff Tamayo credited the triumph to the players’ sound preparation and all-out attitude during the tournament.

The underdog Philippine men’s team, composed of Joseph Arcilla, Noel Damian Jr., Mark Alcoseba, Mikoff Manduriao, Dheo Talatayod and Kevin Mamawal, capped the breakthrough campaign with another gold.

“Everything was just a dream and a goal before,” said Mañalac, who along with Bambi were national champions in tennis. “Discipline, hard work and teamwork were our source of strength during the preparation.”

Princess Catindig and Erdilyn Peralta bagged the bronze in women’s doubles.

Divine Escala, Michael Enriquez, Roel Licayan and Yoon Jae-koo complete the coaching staff with renowned tennis mentor Jovy Mamawal as training director. INQ