Jarata, Brazal share Andrada Cup honors

Top seed Marc Jarata capped his weeklong brilliance by turning back second seed Axl Lajon Gonzaga, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-1, in yesterday’s finals of the 14-under boys in the 29th Andrada Cup age-group tennis tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

The 12-year-old Jarata flirted with defeat when he dropped the opening set. But he won the next two, clinched the title and earned possible inclusion in the Philippine juniors team for international events lined up this year.

“After losing the first set, I hit longer balls and that gave him a hard time. That was the key. I’m very happy with this victory,” said the youngster from Agoo, La Union after receiving the glass trophy from former tennis chief Salvador Andrada.

Jarata, who won four matches the past five days, can now look forward to the qualifiers of the World Juniors and the Junior Fed Cup in March or the Juior Davis Cup in April.

Top seed and 2016 Palarong Pambansa champion Kryshana Brazal breezed past Angeline Alcala, 6-2, 6-1, for the girls’ 14-U crown.

In the 18-U division, Jules Lazaro surprised top seed Venz Alforque, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, for the boys’ crown while No. 1 Melanie Faye Dizon overpowered Althea Fay Ong, 6-0, 6-0, for the girls’ title.

In other finals matches of the country’s longest-running tennis grassroots tournament, Kean Sebastian Enriquez outplayed Kriz Roque Lim, 6-0, 6-0, in the 10-U unisex; Sherin Rey Nuguit drove past Darwin Cosca, 6-3, 6-2, in boys’ 12-U; Marielle Jarata survived Angeline Alcala, 6-3, 7-6, in girls’ 12-U; and Venz Alforque wore out Exequiel Jucutan, 7-5, 3-6, 5-4 (ret), in the boys’ 16-U.

Philippine Lawn Tennis Association president Antonio Cablitas and secretary-general Romeo Magat were also on hand to award the trophies to the winners in the tournament backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Thadeus Sports, Altamar Shipping and Tecnifibre.