Filipina tennis champ Marissa Sanchez dies at 69

Maria Socorro “Marissa” Sanchez, a revered icon of Philippine tennis who helped pave the way for the sport’s growth in the country, passed away last Sunday, January 4, in her hometown of Angeles City, Pampanga. She was 69.

Her nephew, DFA assistant secretary Elmer Cato, announced her passing in a heartfelt Facebook post, as the country mourns one of the early faces of Philippine tennis.

"Long before Alex Eala, there was Marissa Dizon Sanchez who brought prestige and honor to the Philippines and the Filipino people as one of the top tennis sensations of her era," Cato, whose mother is a cousin of Sanchez, said in his tribute post.

"This evening, Maria Socorro “Marissa” Sanchez passed away in Angeles at the age of 69. Please join us in praying for the eternal repose of her soul."

Sanchez made her mark at a time when women had little space in the male-dominated tennis scene in the Philippines.

She emerged as the country's top female player in 1975 and became the first Filipino to ever bring a medal from the Southeast Asian Games, capturing the silver plum in 1977.

The following year, Sanchez propelled the Philippine national team to a rare appearance in the main draw of the Federation Cup, which is now known as the Billie Jean King Cup.

She stepped away from the limelight in the 1980s, but remained in the scene after serving as sports consultant of Angeles City from 2010 to 2019.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News