Eager to loosen tennis muscles, Alcantara joins Batangas training camp

Working out alone from home just won’t cut it for professional tennis players like Francis Casey Alcantara. After a time, they would need an open space and a hitting partner.

“It’s not enough to be fit physically by working out at home, because you can become rusty hitting shots,” said Alcantara, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist last year in men’s doubles.

So when the offer to join a training camp came, the 28-year-old Alcantara didn’t hesitate to join.

The camp, which invited past, present and upcoming national players, will be held for three weeks in Calatagan, Batangas, under the auspices of benefactor Jean Henri Lhuillier.

“This is a welcome development for us because we need to be out there in the court,” Alcantara told the Inquirer.

Joining him are about 10 players including fellow SEA Games champ Jeson Patrombon, Matthew Garcia, Marc Reyes and Johnny Arcilla, who will also serve as team coach and trainer.

Alcantara said all participants will have to undergo COVID-19 testing at the start of the training camp to ensure everyone’s safety.

The government has given recreational tennis the green light to stage activities. Tournaments, however, according to the Philippine Tennis Association, won’t happen until a cure for the coronavirus is found.