AFTER winning the Milo National Finals in Ortigas last Saturday, Lapu-Lapu City netter Chad Connor Cuizon is on the cusp of another title.
This as the nine-year-old netter battles top-ranked female sensation Tenielle Madis in the 10-unisex finals of the Palawan Pawnshop – Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Olivarez Cup today at Sucat, Parañaque.
Cuizon, the prize ace of CCL-Centrex, never showed any signs of slowing down as he scored lopsided victories over Eosef dela Torre, 4-0, 4-0; Joss Po, 4-0, 4-0; before frustrating second-seed Samuel Salazar, 4-0, 4-1, in the semifinals yesterday.
However, an acid test awaits Cuizon in the championship round as he takes on Madis, who is ranked the best 10-unisex netter in the country by the Unified Tennis Philippines.
But Cuizon’s side has a game plan.
“During practice, we have ball patterns on where his targets should be that we hope would work against Madis,” said Chad’s mother, Pops. “She (Tenielle) moves really well and we hope to negate that with the use of angles and deep shots.”
However, Pops is not putting any sort of pressure on her son, citing that it will be an exciting battle regardless of whoever wins the match.
Cuizon had a chance for a twin kill in the tournament, but his parents decided to rest him last Sunday following his win in the Milo competition, eventually losing to Reyman Saldivar Jr. 1-0 ret. in the 12-under boys quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, another Lapu-Lapu native, Tiffany Claire Nocos, clinched two semifinal berths after scoring a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Anika Silayan in the 12-U girls’ division and thrashing Indi Pandino, 6-0, 6-0, in the 14-U girls’ classification.