LAPU LAPU CITY—Hong Kong wonder girl Adithya Karunaratne stole the thunder from the local stars by clinching two titles, even as Roxanne Resma and Khim Iglupas split their two final encounters in the Truflex national age group tennis championships yesterday.
The 11-year-old Karunaratne, whose family came from Sri Lanka when she was five, downed top seed Caryn Bless Guarde, 6-2, 6-1, to bag the girls’ 12-under title at the Lapu Lapu City Hall courts, then rushed to the nearby Amores Tennis Club to outlast Angela Cabaral, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, and rule the 14-under category.
Resma whipped Iglupas, 6-2, 6-2, at Haruhay Dream Resort for the 18-under trophy, but Iglupas got back at Resma in the 16-under finals, 6-2, 6-3.
“They are proving to be the best players in the age groups now,” said coach Jun Toledo, who handles both players for the Philippine Tennis Academy.
The event was sponsored by Truflex Sports Surfacing Corp., presented by Smart and also supported by Megaworld’s Mactan New Town, Foton Motors Philippines, Cebuana Lhuillier, Bayswater, Thirsty Fruit Shakes, and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.
Alexandra Eala downed Hong Kong’s Chul Kei-leun, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, to rule the 10-under unisex, while Nio Tria, cheered by his mother, actress Cherry Pie Picache, topped the boys’ 12-under with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Tristan Kuok.
Brian Otico rolled back Fabien Calaud, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to win the boys’ 14-under at Mactan Airbase. He had the chance to make it a golden double but Dave Sebastian Mosqueda beat him, 7-5, 6-3, for the boys’ 16-under championship.
Joshua Kinaadman topped the boys’ 18-under with a 6-1, 6-4 romp over Changmai Necesario.