Palawan Juniors resumes with Visayas leg

Nadine Seno and Madison Rago head into the second leg of the Palawan Juniors Series Visayas swing determined to build on their breakthrough performances, but both rising stars are expected to face stiffer opposition as the regional circuit resumes Thursday, July 16, at the Villa Aurora courts in Pardo, Cebu City. Fresh from a dominant showing in the Naga City opener, Seno will attempt to duplicate her girls' 14- and 16-and-under title sweep against a stronger field, while Rago hopes to add the boys' 14-and-U crown to the 16-and-U championship he captured in the opening stop after falling short against Andrio Estrella in their previous encounter. Their title bids are expected to highlight another week of fierce competition as the country's promising young talents continue their quest for valuable match experience and a chance to establish themselves among the nation's next generation of tennis standouts. Presented by Dunlop, the week-long tournament is sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), with ranking points at stake for all participants. More importantly, the Visayas circuit underscores the Palawan Juniors Series' long-term commitment to grassroots tennis development. Following the successful launch of the Mindanao leg, the regional tour, initiated by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, continues to provide young players with regular, high-level competition designed to accelerate their growth, sharpen their competitive skills and identify future national team prospects. Seno faces a stern challenge in the girls' 14-and-U division, where top-ranked Ma. Caroliean Fiel and No. 2 Jaynelle Castro are tipped to contend for the title. In the 16-and-U category, top seed Alexa Cruspero leads the field that also features Fiel and Donna Diamante. Rago, meanwhile, moves into the Cebu leg with the No. 6 ranking in the boys' 14-and-U division despite his victory in Naga City. He...