THE WINNERS CIRCLE: Top three winners of the boys and girls singles pose with Liew (centre) and committee members after the prize presentation.
KUCHING: Eric Olivarez Jr of the Philippines lived up to his billing as the tournament’s second seed when he clinched the boys singles title at the 8th Asian 14 and Under Series tennis championship at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) tennis centre yesterday.
He was simply too good for surprise finalist Daisuke Sumiwaza of Japan, winning in straight sets of 6-0, 6-2.
This was the first singles title here for the 14-year-old from Metro Manila who reached the quarterfinals of last year’s event and he also played for the Philippines team in the World Junior Team qualifiers here early this year.
Eric completed a double win yesterday as he was also the boys doubles champion with his partner Sherwin Foo of Singapore on Saturday when they beat Thailand’s Vorachon Rakpuangchoi and Pattanapong Borisutpong 7-6(6), 4-6 (10-3).
“I am very happy to win two titles here in Kuching and I think I played better today and I did my very best,” said Eric who will be returning to Kuching next month for the Chief Minister’s Cup ITF Junior Tennis Championship.
After this, Eric will be flying to Singapore to compete in the Singapore ITF Junior Tennis Championship in November and wrap up the season with the world’s most prestigious age group tournament, the Orange Bowl in Florida, the US in December.
Sherwin Foo finished third after he beat Alan Sou Ming Chun of Hong Kong in the play-off for third and fourth placing.
Malaysia’s best finisher was Alvin Teng Wee Jie from Kuching who beat fifth seed Kabir Manrai of India 6-1, 6-3 in the seventh/eighth placing play-off while Adrian Lim Zan Kuang ended up in ninth place.
The other player who walked chalked up a double victory was Snehal Mane from India who overcame her opponent from China Ma Yexin 6-4, 6-4 in the girls singles final.
Snehal won the girls doubles title with Kaaviya Balasubramaniam when they beat the Filipino pair of Rafaella Jean Villanueva and Khim Iglupas 6-3, 1-6 (12-10) on Saturday.
“It’s a very fruitful outing for me in Kuching and I am very happy with my performance in this championship and my first win here,” said Snehal who finished in 17th position at last year’s competition.
The Chennai National Tennis Championship Girls Under-14 doubles champion was also pleased to have achieved her target of winning both the singles and doubles titles here.
Snehal will be heading to Kota Kinabalu this week where she will be competing in the Asian 14 and Under series.
“I am looking forward to extend my good performance in Sabah,” she said, adding that winning there would be a perfect ending for her this season.
SLTA president and organising chairman Dato Patrick Liew gave away the prizes to the winners.