(L-R) Sports Leader John Pages, Former 1st District Representative Cong.Jose “Dodong” Gullas of UV, Sally Mae Siso, Fritz Tabura and UV VP External Affairs Atty. Joseph Baduel, smile for the cameras after their press conference on the 19th JRG Tennis tournament at University of the Visayas. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
The region’s biggest and longest-running junior tennis tournament just got better this year… by leaps and bounds.
The Gullas Cup which will run its 19th edition on Aug. 21-24 at the Citigreen Tennis Resort in Labangon and Alta Vista in Pardo Cebu City, will introduce a number of innovations designed to make it more player and spectator-friendly.
First, the premier tennis event will now be officially known as the JRG Gullas Cup as a tribute to tournament founder Jose R. Gullas who nurtured the event from its humble beginnings to what it has become today – the third biggest junior tournament in the country.
Second, the event will now he held outside the summer months. Tournament organizer John Pages said this is designed to attract more players.
“Unlike before, we decided to hold this year’s JRG Gullas Cup in August to accommodate more players. Summer is such a loaded time with various tennis tournaments being organized, so we decided to hold the event outside the summer months,” Pages said during yesterday’s official tournament launching at the Inday Pining Teatro 2 at the University of the Visayas.
Third, the event will be held indoors in two world-class venues – Citigreen Tennis Resort and Alta Vista. Citigreen boasts of two red clay courts not unlike those found at Roland Garros, venue of the French Open, the only tennis grand slam on clay.
Fourth, organizers will welcome participants to a night of camaraderie and friendship through a Welcome Dinner, the only tennis tournament hereabout to host such a special activity.
Meanwhile, the Group 2 Philippine Lawn Tennis Association (Philta)-sanctioned event will have nine singles and five doubles categories where participants can earn valuable Philta points.
The singles divisions include the 10-and-under unisex category as well as the 12-under, 14-under, 16-under and 18-under classes for both girls and boys.
The doubles divisions are 10-under unisex, 14-under boys and girls and the 18-under boys and girls.
Tournament director Fritz Tabura said they decided to scrap the 21-under division this year due to the lack of a bigger venue.
He also revealed that most of last year’s champions will be coming back to defend their titles.
Tabura also bared that entries from as far as Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Tangub, Ozamis and Biliran have signified their intention to join the four-day meet which has produced some of the country’s biggest names in age-group competitions like Palaro, Batang Pinoy and international champion Sally Mae Siso.
Siso, the reigning 21-and -under titlist is now one of the organizers of the 19th JRG Gullas Cup.
Also expected to see action are Iggy Pantino, the highest ranked netter in his division in Asia; two-division queen Jana Pages, the Salimbangon siblings as well as the tennis winners in the recent Milo Little Olympics.
Registration fee is pegged at P300 inclusive of a shirt. To register, one may get in touch with Sally Mae Siso or register online at their Facebook page: gullascup2014.