From The Wires
Some of the Philippines’ most promising young tennis players are making waves in the
country’s first International Tennis Federation-recognized junior tournament since the height
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three Filipino teams made it to the first-week finals of the J30 PHINMA International Junior
Tennis Championships, held at the Manila Polo Club. This July 20, girls’ doubles Top 2 seed
Stefi Marithe Aludo and Kimi Aiyana Brodeth will face their fellow Filipinas Jana Jelena
Nicole Diaz and Tennielle Madis in the final round. Aludo and Aiyana defeated the
Taiwanese pair of Yu-Ching Hsieh and Yu Tsen Ko at 7-5, 2-6, 10-4. Meanwhile, Diaz and
Madis upset Korean-Taiwanese top seed Su Been Lee and An-Jie Zheng with a score of 7-
5, 0-6, 10-7.
For the boys’ doubles championship, Filipino pair John Benedict Aguilar and Miguel Iglupas
will clash against Taiwanese team Hung-Jui Chen and Yu-Hsiang Chuang. Aguilar and
Iglupas earlier beat Thailand’s Patham Laosakulporn and Napat Narongdej at 6-2, 6-3.
Aguilar is also headed to the boys’ singles semifinals versus No. 1 seed Sin Hang Tam from
Hong Kong. This, as Aguilar bested fellow Filipino player John Kendrick Bona. Iglupas,
meanwhile, is set to face fellow Pinoy hopeful Mateo Victor Rivas.
For the girls’ singles semifinals, Madis will be up against Diaz whereas Taiwanese top seed
Yu-ching Hsieh will be playing versus Yu Tsen Ko.
The winners of this week’s tournament will be announced on Sunday, July 21.
This year marks the return of PHINMA’s international tennis tournament for Filipino and
foreign junior players this 2024 after a years-long hiatus since the COVID-19 health crisis
broke out. The event, supported by the Philippine Tennis Academy, will have local and
international players vying for the 16th PHINMA title. The Main Draw is a 32-draw for both
Boys and Girls categories with four Qualifiers moving up to it, with the Qualifying Draw also a
32-draw.
This comes as the Group reaffirms its commitment to making lives better, this time through
investing in youth development in sports. Previous winners of the PHINMA-sponsored
tournament include Alex Eala, Nino Alcantara, Bryan Otico, Iggy Pantino, and Khim Iglupas.
Long-time tennis patron and PHINMA Chairman Emeritus Oscar J. Hilado, together with the
Philippine Tennis Academy (PTA), believes in making lives better particularly for
underprivileged, outstanding Filipino youth in tennis by providing them exposure to foreign
competitors and experience in competing in international tournaments.
Sharing Mr. Hilado’s commitment, the PTA believes in giving local juniors an opportunity to
participate in an international event here at home. PHINMA ITF Tournament Director April
Escalona-Toledo says playing in events held in the Philippines will open the doors for young
Filipino tennis players and significantly boost their athletic careers. Escalona-Toledo, also a
member of the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) Board of Trustees and PTA Deputy
Program Director, notes how securing resources for international tournaments abroad is a
challenge already in itself.
PHINMA and PTA look forward to the successful conduct of this event, also backed by the
Philippine Tennis Association (Philta), in the hopes of drumming up further interest and
support in Philippine tennis by boosting the competitiveness and visibility of the country’s
junior players.
