An Oscar for RP tennis

About 15 years ago, an unassuming man with a passion for sports named Oscar decided to put his money where his heart is. Like another Oscar in boxing and the Oscar that is symbolic of excellence in the Academy Awards, this Oscar is special.

Businessman Oscar Hilado shuns the limelight and prefers to stay in the background, content to just enjoy the ride of youngsters to as far as they can go in the highly-competitive tennis circuit. He made it his mission to lend a helping hand to Filipino junior tennis players dreaming of someday becoming a Federer or a Sharapova.

In the late 1990s, an exceptionally talented Filipina teenager Maricris Fernandez emerged and was an inspiration on the court, winning her first two professional tournaments in Thailand.     

To sustain the momentum initiated by Fernandez, Hilado conceived the idea of hosting the first two-week Union Cement junior women’s tournament in 1998, offering $10,000 a week as prize money – the lowest level in the pros designed for youngsters just breaking into the ranks.

As if destiny called, Fernandez won the inaugural singles championship in the first week of the Union Cement joust. Indonesia’s Liza Andriyani and Irawati Iskandar took the doubles crown. In the second week, Hong Kong’s Ka Po Tong claimed the singles title and Korea’s Kyung Mi Chang and Jin Hee Kim, the doubles trophy.

The next year, the prize money went up to $25,000 but only a week of competition was scheduled. Italy’s Tatiana Garbin bagged the singles title and China’s Li Na and Li Ting, the doubles diadem. Garbin, by the way, is now ranked No. 53 in the world and Li Na, No. 27.

The two-leg format was reinstated in 2000 and has since been the tradition. Among the other singles winners of the annual event were India’s Sania Mirza in 2002 (now No. 98 in the world), Korea’s Ye Ra Lee in 2004 (No. 187), Fil-Am Riza Zalameda in 2005, USA’s Stacey Tan (No. 672) and Maureen Diaz in 2006 and Switzerland’s Nicole Riner (No. 405) last year.

Even as his protégé Fernandez quit tennis in 2002 because of a recurring injury, Hilado persisted in personally supporting the annual international junior women’s competition. The year of Fernandez’ retirement, Holcim bought Union Cement and took over as tournament presentor. Last year, PLDT-Smart sponsored the first week and Holcim, the second.      

This year, Holcim and PLDT-Smart are once again locking arms to finance the 11th edition of the two-week meet. The package for both sponsors is $10,000 each – earmarked entirely for prize money. Holcim will put up the pot for the first week and PLDT-Smart, the second. The singles competition will bring in 32 players and the doubles, 16 pairs.

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“We still require at least another $15,000 for operational expenses which includes salaries of foreign referees, local officials and others,” said Ajay Pathak, the Asian Tennis Federation director for junior events and vice president for international affairs of the Philippine Tennis Association.

“Half of this money comes from the ITF (International Tennis Federation) through the Grand Slam development fund and the rest, shared by the Philippine Sports Commission or ultimately, again Mr. Hilado.” 

Pathak was formerly the “Hilado” tournament director. Now, Filipino tennis legend and former Davis Cupper Johnny Jose takes care of the two-week affair although Pathak keeps in close touch because of his appreciation of Hilado’s efforts.

Pathak said aside from being the moving spirit of the two-week event, Hilado sponsors two ITF junior tournaments at the end of every year, boosting the local players’ chances to score ranking points.

“We have miles to go but more assistance will probably make the future brighter for Philippine tennis,” said Pathak who oversees at least 70 junior tournaments in the under-18 class in 44 countries from Lebanon to Japan as the only Asian member of the ITF junior committee.

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Pathak said through the years of the “Hilado” tournament, the country has been treated to a slew of rising stars. It won’t be any different this year.

“We’ve had some very good entries like Li Na who made a tremendous impact at the Beijing Olympics by beating Venus Williams and her 1999 Manila doubles partner Li Ting went on to win the gold in doubles at the Athens Olympics and also the Australian Open doubles title last year,” said Pathak.

“Another big name who won in 2002 was Mirza who took the mixed doubles gold at the 2006 Asian Games and in 2005, made a huge impact at the Australian Open and US Open as she climbed to No. 31 in the world. Another star who won here in 2001 was Chia Jung Chuang of Taipei. This year, she was in the doubles finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon Open with another Manila participant as partner, Chan Chuang.

“In 2006, 15-year-old Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand won the doubles event in the second week and this year, was the junior singles finalist at Wimbledon. She is expected to be in the top 100 next year. Wynne Prakusya of Indonesia was the doubles winner in the second week in 2003 and has now earned over $500,000 in prize money playing all the Grand Slams as one of the world’s ranking doubles players.”

The singles qualifying for the Holcim leg begins this Sunday with the main draw for both singles and doubles starting Nov. 11 up to Nov. 16. The singles qualifying for the PLDT-Smart leg begins Nov. 16 with the main draw for both singles and doubles starting Nov. 18 up to Nov. 23. All matches will be played at the Rizal Memorial courts.