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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Palawan series sustains drive to develop future tennis stars

Palawan series sustains drive to develop future tennis stars

Published Jul 2, 2026 02:23 pm

At A Glance

  • Momentum continues to build for Philippine grassroots tennis as the Palawan Juniors Tennis Series moves to Cebu following a successful Mindanao opener, reinforcing its mission of developing future champions through quality competition.
Momentum continues to build for Philippine grassroots tennis as the Palawan Juniors Tennis Series moves to Cebu following a successful Mindanao opener, reinforcing its mission of developing future champions through quality competition.
Promising young netters from the Visayas are set to battle for titles, valuable ranking points and national recognition when the Cebu leg gets underway on July 9-14 at the City of Naga Tennis Courts in Naga City.
Sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) and Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), the Group 2 tournament forms part of Palawan Pawnshop's long-term grassroots development program aimed at providing Filipino juniors with a consistent, high-level competitive platform where they can sharpen their skills, gain valuable match experience and steadily progress toward higher levels of competition.
Registration remains open for the second leg of the nationwide circuit through the UTR Platform, with all eligible junior players encouraged to participate in one of the country's premier ranking events.
Following the City of Naga tournament, the circuit moves to Cebu City for the third leg on July 16-21 at the Villa Aurora Tennis Courts in Pardo before concluding the Visayas swing on July 23-28 at the Mandaue Tennis Courts.
The nationwide circuit is spearheaded by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro, whose continued support has helped expand opportunities for young Filipino players through regular, professionally organized tournaments. The program also enjoys the backing of ICON Golf and Sports, Dunlop and the Palawan Group of Companies, whose partnership underscores a collective effort to elevate Philippine tennis and discover the country's next generation of champions.
"Developing future champions starts at the grassroots level. By bringing quality tournaments to different regions, we're making competitive tennis more accessible and giving more young players the chance to pursue their dreams,” said Castro.
Disputed in the Visayas series are the boys' and girls' singles events in the 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under divisions, along with the boys' and girls' doubles competitions in the 14- and 18-and-under categories.
Beyond the medals and trophies, the Palawan series is designed to strengthen Philippine tennis at the grassroots level by widening the competitive base, identifying promising talents from different regions and ensuring a steady pipeline of players capable of advancing to the national pool and eventually representing the country in major international competitions.
The initiative reflects the shared commitment of the stakeholders to invest in youth development, recognizing that sustained grassroots competitions are essential to producing future world-class players. By bringing quality tournaments closer to regional talents, the series provides aspiring champions with greater access to meaningful competition without the burden of constantly traveling to Manila, allowing more youngsters to showcase their abilities and accelerate their development.
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