Juliana Carvajal powered her way to two singles titles while unranked Derek Napala nailed a victory in singles and two in doubles as they shared the MVP honors in the PPS Dir. Alberto Aton national juniors tennis tournament at the Kidapawan City Tennis Club in Cotabato over the weekend.
Carvajal dominated her rivals in 14-U play she capped with a 6-2, 6-2 romp over Ayezza Dino, then the rising star from Digos toppled elder sister and top seed Coleen, 6-4, 6-4, in the 16-U finals to emerge the lone “double” winner in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
The Gen. Santos City-based Napala stunned top seed Reyman Saldivar, 4-0, 4-5(3), 10-6 in the semis then foiled doubles partner Gene Espinosa, 7-5, 6-3, to snare the crown in the boys’ 14-U division of the tournament sponsored by Director Alfredo Aton of Department of Agriculture.
Napala then flashed superb condition in doubles play, teaming up with Espinosa to edge Saldivar and Kadil Jamal Raul, 8-6, in the 14-U class then linked up with Steve Aton to rout Saldivar and BJ Flores, 8-0, for the 18-U crown in the event and held under the auspices of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Other singles winners were Kabacan’s Jairo Ramirez (10-unisex), Klayton Dino (boys’ 12-U) and Saldivar (boys’ 16-U; local bet Brent Magno (boys’ 18-U); and Alamada’s Ysabel Wong (girls’ 12-U) and Zykla Cervantes (girls’ 18-U) while the Carvajals (girls’ 18-U), Avril Anito and Ayessa Dino (girls’ 14-U) and Kim Belotindos and CJ Ramirez (10-unisex) also shone in doubles competition.
Ramirez routed Kim Belotindos, 4-1, 4-2; Dino wore down BJ Flores, 2-6, 7-6(3), 10-8; Saldivar trounced Steve Aton, 6-3, 6-1; Magno ripped Aton, 6-2, 6-3; Wong crushed Sachena Francisco, 4-2, 4-0; and Cervantes blasted Coleen Carvajal, 6-4, 6-0.