CHAMPIONS. Stefi Marithe Aludo (left) and Kimi Aiyana Brodeth won the girls' doubles title in the Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships at Manila Polo Club courts in Makati City on Saturday (July 21, 2024). They beat fellow Filipinos Jana Jelena Nicole Diaz and Tennielle Madis, 6-4, 1-6, 10-5. (Photo courtesy of Phinma)
MANILA – The Philippines swept the doubles titles in the Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships at Manila Polo Club courts in Makati City on Sunday.
Wild cards Miguel Iglupas and John Benedict Aguilar outplayed Hung-Jul Chen and Yu-Hsiang Chuang of Chinese Taipei, 7-5, 6-1, to claim the boys’ title.
Iglupas and Aguilar eliminated top-seeded Chinese Zi Yi Ou and Zheng-Wei Wang, 1-6, 6-2, 11-9, in the first round; Chinese Taipei's Ming Yu Ko and Kwong Wai Aengus Ma, 6-1, 6-2, in the quarterfinals; and Thailand's Ratham Laosakulporn and Napat Narongdej, 6-2, 6-3, in the semifinals.
"We kept thinking positively even if it was difficult to do so, and that helped us win. It feels so good representing the Philippines, to whom all our achievements are for," Iglupas said
Meanwhile, second seeds Stefi Marithe Aludo and Kimi Aiyana Brodeth rallied past compatriots Jana Jelena Nicole Diaz and Tennielle Madis, 6-4, 1-6 (10-5), to secure the girls’ crown.
Aludo and Brodeth downed fourth seeds Yu-Ching Hsieh and Yu Tsen Ko of Chinese Taipei, 7-5, 2-6 [10-4]; while Diaz and Madis stunned top seeds Lee Su Been of Korea and Zheng An-Jie of Chinese Taipei, 7-5, 0-6, 10-7 in the semifinals.
"All the trials and pains we went through on and off the court were worth it. All our sacrifices paid off. And we're just getting started," they said.
This year marks the return of the Phinma International Tennis Championships since the pandemic erupted in 2020.
Previous winners of the tournament included 2022 US Open champion Alexandra Eala, Nino Alcantara, Bryan Otico, Iggy Pantino and Khim Iglupas.
Long-time tennis patron and Phinma chair emeritus Oscar Hilado and the Philippine Tennis Academy have been helping underprivileged but promising young players by funding their competitions abroad. (PNA)
