Unranked Lilith Rufino delivered a breakthrough performance, toppling a string of seeded opponents to capture the girls’ 16-and-under crown in the Rep. Eric Olivarez Cup Juniors Age-Group Championships at the Olivarez Sports Center and Parañaque tennis courts last weekend.

Rufino set the tone early, dismantling No. 6 Talitha Lopez, 6-0, 6-3, after advancing via a 1-0 (ret.) result over Michaela Nantes. She sustained her momentum with a gritty 5-7, 6-2, 10-8 upset of third seed Chiara Bate, then dominated No. 2 Izabelle Camcam, 6-1, 6-1, in the semifinals.

Facing top seed Astrid Cablitas for the championship, Rufino showcased poise and control from the outset, cruising to a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory to secure her first major title in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Ranking.

The triumph served as redemption for the Makati City standout, who earlier fell short in the 14-and-U finals, losing a pair of tight tiebreak sets to unseeded Michaela Suarez, 7-6(3), 7-6(3).

Despite that setback, Rufino’s title and runner-up finish earned her a share of the Most Valuable Player honors alongside Yuan Torrente, who mirrored her feat in the boys’ side.

Torrente captured the boys’ 12-and-U title with a 6-3, 6-1 rout of Raven Licayan, bouncing back from a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Jan Caleb Villeno in the 14-and-U finals.

The five-day tournament, held in honor of Rep. Eric Olivarez and backed by the Palawan Group of Companies, Dunlop and ICON Golf & Sports, drew a record 230 participants and produced a remarkable outcome – no player managed to win two titles, underscoring the depth and parity of the field.

Among the other standout champions, several players also celebrated breakthrough victories. Bataan’s Cristiano Calingasan crushed top seed Antonio Bengzon, 6-1, 6-1, to rule the boys’ 16-and-U division, while Cavite’s Marwin Plata stunned No. 1 Antonio Ng Jr., 6-1, 6-3, to claim the boys’ 18-and-U crown.

Pasig’s Gabrielle Co secured the girls’ 12-and-U title with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Ellythia Comia, and Yuki Mae Madrio of Glenview, Illinois, made a strong impression in her rare local appearance, dominating Cielo Gonzales, 6-0, 6-1.

In doubles play, Raven Licayan and Augustine Delmo topped the boys’ 14-and-U event, while Terensiha Calingasan and Isabella Carlos ruled the girls’ side. Santino Danganon and James Madalo captured the boys’ 18-and-U title, and Dania Bulanadi teamed up with Gonzales to win the girls’ division.

Meanwhile, the circuit moves to Olongapo before heading to Dumaguete. Registration is on-going. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.