Canja earns spot in season-ending Junior Masters tourney

Kidapawan City pride Jzash Canja won two division titles when the Smart/HEAD Junior Tennis Tour Satellite Circuit made its third stop at the Digos City Tennis Club in Digos City, Davao del Sur. Canja defeated Isabela, Basilan bet Chelsea Gacho in the finals of the girls’ Under-14 and Under-16 divisions. Canja scored a 6-2, 6-3 decision in the Under-14 class then followed it up with another impressive 6-2, 6-2 triumph in the Under-16 category in the Philippine Tennis Association-sanctioned ranking tournament. Joining Canja as two-division champion is Philippine Davis Cup team member Juan Paolo Cansino, who topped the boys’ Under-16 and Under-18 age groups. Cansino pulled off a 7-5-6-3 win over local bet Alfredo Delvo in the Under-16 division then squeezed out a hard-earned 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory against Andre Banate in the Under-18 finals. Other age group champions are Jericho Painagan (unisex Under-10), Jaffary Carriga (boys’ Under-12), Dana Abad (girls’ Under-12), Miko Alpas (boys’ Under-14) and Eloisa Collo (girls’ Under-18). All age group winners secured spots in the elite tournament – Junior Masters event – at the end of the year. The HEAD Junior netfest's next stop will be in Davao City from April 15 to 17. The ranking tournament will also have stops in Lapu-Lapu City (April 20-23), Bacolod City (May 8-10), Iloilo City (May 12-15), Baguio City (May 18-21) and Metro Manila (May 24-30). – GMANews.TV