MANILA – Kathlyn Bugna further cemented her status as a rising star of Philippine tennis, pulling off a rare and remarkable three-title sweep at the Dr. Pablo Olivarez Sr. National Juniors Championships at the Olivarez Sports Center in ParaƱaque City.
Displaying a potent mix of athleticism, composure and championship pedigree well beyond her years, the 14-year-old prodigy from La Carlota City delivered another MVP performance, dominating not just in her age group, but conquering older divisions to underline her growing supremacy.
Bugna, already top-seeded in both the girlsā 14-and-under and 16-and-U categories, lived up to expectations by sweeping through both fields with clinical efficiency.
She dismantled second seed Shaner Gabaldon, 6-1, 6-3, to clinch the 14-U title, then breezed past fourth seed Astrid Cablitas, 6-2, 6-2, to rule the 16-U division.
But it was her fearless run in the 18-and-U class ā a category that traditionally challenges even seasoned juniors ā that turned heads.
After crushing second seed Dania Bulanadi with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 semifinal win, Bugna fended off the in-form Melatiah Pascua, who had earlier ousted top seed Izabelle Camcam, 6-0, 6-2, with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 victory in the finals.
The victory marked another impressive tournament conquest, following back-to-back title runs in the Cong. Eric Olivarez National Open, where she also ruled the 14- and 16-and-under events.
Her winning streak now spans 10 titles across five major cities, including Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas, Kalibo, and Cebu, making her one of the most dominant junior players in recent memory.
She didnāt stop there. Teaming up with Isabel Calingasan, Bugna added a fourth title to her trophy haul in ParaƱaque, capturing the girlsā 14-and-U doubles crown.
What sets Bugna apart isn’t just her power and precision on the court, but her remarkable composure and tennis IQ ā traits rarely seen in someone so young.
Her success is a shining reflection of the Team Batang Onay grassroots program, which aims to discover and hone raw regional talent through consistent national exposure and competition.
Also emerging as a standout was Cristiano Calingasan of Balanga, Bataan, who clinched the boysā MVP title with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory over Yuan Torrente in the boysā 14-and-under finals.
Other winners were Athena Liwag (Olongapo City) ā girlsā 12-U, defeating Clara Hosaka 6-4, 6-2; Jonathan Higa (Taguig) ā boysā 18-U, overpowering Gavin Kraut 6-2, 6-2; Julio Naredo (Quezon City) ā boysā 16-U, routing Alexandre Coyiuto 6-0, 6-1; Tyrone Caro (San Pedro City) ā boysā 12-U over Torrente, 6-3, 6-3; and Antonio Angeles (Quezon City) ā 10-U unisex, edging Matias Aguilera, 2-4, 6-4, 10-6.
In doubles, Bulanadi and Liwag bagged the girlsā 18-U title, Coyiuto and Naredo took the boysā 18-U trophy, while Vivaan Garg and Mattias Go dominated the boysā 14-U event. Abacan and Maximus Calingasan triumphed in the 10-U unisex doubles division./PN
