EAGER TO improve on their sixth place finish from last season, the Ateneo Men’s Lawn Tennis team is looking to hit the ground running and ascend in the ranks this UAAP Season 78.

The team’s young lineup from last year has stayed virtually intact this season. Junior Ino Canlas has stepped up as team captain, succeeding Gio Bilog, who graduated last school year. “The goal right now is to take it one point at a time and eventually, those wins will come,” Canlas said.

The Blue Eagles have also called upon the services of the number one ranked player in the Philippines, Patrick-John Tierro, as coach

To compensate for the loss of Bilog, the team has brought in two dynamic freshmen in Luke Flores and Marcen Gonzales–the former is a doubles specialist while the latter is one of the top-ranked high school players of his batch. In addition, key players Iyo Canlas, Erj Gatdula, and AJ Rivero, among others, make their return to the team with more experience under their belts. Having trained extremely hard during the offseason, these returning veterans are stronger and more determined than ever.

But apart from the players, the Blue Eagles have also called upon the services of the number one ranked player in the Philippines, Patrick-John Tierro, as coach–his experience and wisdom in the sport serving as a huge boost to the team. Additionally, the team now has a physical therapist along with student managers at their disposal, all of whom are prepared to help the team in whatever way they can.

All these additions will be important ingredients in the Blue Eagles’ recipe for success. With the program motivated and the results of yesteryear forgotten, the Blue and White look forward to stamping their presence onto the UAAP Lawn Tennis scene this Season 78.