Eric Olivarez netfest on today

MANILA, Philippines —  The Mayor Eric Olivarez National Junior Tennis Championships begin today with 416 entries competing for top honors and ranking points across nine age categories at the Olivarez Sports Center and Parañaque courts in Sucat.

To accommodate the large number of entries from all over, organizers have transformed the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop to a two-week event, highlighting the strong response to the Palawan Pawnshop nationwide tennis program.

The tournament features four boys’ age divisions (12, 14, 16 and 18-and-under) with 64-player fields, while the 10-and-under unisex and the four girls’ categories have 32-player draws each.

The first batch of matches will play through June 9, with the second scheduled for June 13 to 16 at both venues.

“This is the biggest gathering of junior players, necessitating a two-week format,” said tournment director Bobby Mangunay.