Morales netfest underway

MANILA, Philippines —   A festive yet fiercely competitive two-week tournament featuring the country’s top and rising junior players has ushered in the new PPS-PEPP season, igniting another year of province-hopping action designed to discover, develop and prepare future national talents for international competitions.

Billed as the Zopiya Morales National Juniors Tennis Championships, the kickoff leg got under way yesterday with boys’ competitions in the 18-, 16-, 14- and 12-and-under divisions, setting the tone for what promises to be another banner year for Philippine junior tennis.

Tournament director Bobby Mangunay said the event is being staged over two weeks to accommodate the large number of eager entries, a testament to the sport’s growing popularity at the grassroots level.