CLOSING OUT the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Men’s Tennis Tournament elimination round on a high note, the Ateneo Men’s Lawn Tennis Team (AMLTT) bagged two crucial bounce-back victories this weekend. Ateneo’s matches against the University of the East (UE) Lawnetters and the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons were held at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center-Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in the City of Manila. 

Ateneo vs UE (March 16, 2024) 

Commencing the contest was Ateneo’s Austin Delos Santos in the first singles match, who claimed the first two points against UE’s Romeo Largo, 2-0. However, tables quickly turned after the fourth rally, with Largo pulling off a 3-1 run to make it a 3-3 tie against Delos Santos. Being contained on the offensive end, Delos Santos proceeded to concede the first set in UE’s favor, 6-3. In the following frame, the Blue Eagle would fail to regather momentum as Largo banked on his newfound energy to secure the first singles match for the Lawnetters, 6-2.

Starting the doubles portion on the right foot, Blue Eagles Nio Tria and Axl Gonzaga quickly dominated against Lawnnetters Macoy Suson and Dawson Ormoc, 4-1. The Katipunan-based pair breezed through the first set, 6-4, and continued their good form in the next set. Despite UE forcing a deadlock at four-all midway through the second set, the compelling pair of Tria and Gonzaga powered through to tally a win for Ateneo, 6-4. 

Building on the momentum set by his teammates, AMLTT rookie JD Velez exhibited mastery over UE’s Rj Singson. In the first set, Velez quickly set a gap between him and his adversary by capturing five consecutive games. Despite Singson managing to score a game, the Atenean rookie shut out any hopes of a comeback in the next game, ending set one with a 6-1 victory. The second set would see the same story repeat itself as Velez breezed through with a 6-1 finish. 

Ateneo veteran Noy Seno had the opportunity to put the game out of the reach of the Recto-based squad. Wanting to avenge his loss in the first round, UE’s Jarell Edanga came out with a much-improved strategy. Tied at 2-2, the Blue Eagle went on an electric scoring run, claiming 4 consecutive games and a 6-2 set one victory. Seno continued to find his mark in the second set after going up 2-0, until Edanga countered by capturing three straight games. In the end, Seno proved why he had the upper hand in their head-to-head matchup, halting Edanga’s momentum and prevailing once again, 6-4. 

Despite the overall game already being decided in favor of the Blue and White through team-ties, UE’s duo of Kent Morales and RJ Baje challenged Ateneo’s Jonelle Llavore and Stefano Gurria in a thrilling doubles contest. The Katipunan-based unit fell flat in the first set, conceding 3-6. The Blue Eagles would improve their on-court communication in the second set, leading to beautifully executed shots. Increasing their intensity, Llavore and Gurria drove Ateneo back into the game with a 6-2 victory. 

Both experiencing lopsided losses in the first two sets, the two doubles teams refused to give up in the third and final set. Back-and-forth rallies forced a deadlock at 6-6. However, the extended set would see the Recto-based unit get the best of Ateneo as they started to crumble due to mishaps. The Lawnnetters were then able to capitalize on Llavore and Gurria’s errors, finishing the set with a blowout win for UE, 7-2. 

Ateneo vs UP (March 17, 2024) 

In Ateneo’s final game of the eliminations, Noy Seno waxed hot to begin his singles match against UP’s Loucas Fernandez. Setting the tone for the Blue and White, Seno delivered powerful shots that the Fighting Maroon couldn’t receive, leading to a commanding sweep via 6-3 and 6-2 scorelines.

Meanwhile, the ever-reliable duo of Nio Tria and Axl Gonzaga worked wonders again for the Blue Eagles as they continued to build their reputation as a formidable tag-team force in UAAP doubles action. In both sets, Ateneo’s fiery pace prevented UP’s Rafael Liangco and Rombana from finding their stride, limiting them to only one game win per set with 6-1 victories in both cantos. 

In Singles action, AMLTT rookie JD Velez’s composure was once again tested by UP’s Andrei Jarata. In the first set, Jarata stunned Velez by jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead. The Fighting Maroon looked poised to dominate the Blue Eagle, yet Velez was able to dig deeper into his repertoire, landing on a winning strategy that propelled him to take 5 consecutive games. Jarata continued the pressure in the second canto, making it difficult for the rookie to build consistent momentum. Leaning on his previous comeback effort, Velez put on another heroic performance to quickly shift a 2-2 deadlock into a 6-2 score in Ateneo’s favor.

Looking to avenge his previous loss in the UE match, Ateneo’s Austin Delos Santos delivered an electric performance against Zire Mina. In the first canto, the AMLTT skipper recaptured his winning ways after thrashing Mina, 6-2. The Fighting Maroon proved to be a more formidable opponent in the second set, placing the Blue Eagle in an uncomfortable 4-5 situation. Banking on his desire to get a victory, Delos Santos fought hard to erase the disadvantage and secure three consecutive games, winning the set, 7-5. 

Playing for a possible team-tie sweep over their Katipunan rivals, JJ Llavore and Stefano Guria would suffer another heartbreaking defeat against UP’s Karl Miguel and Jonas Silva. In the first set, the Blue and White connection prevailed as they edged the Fighting Maroons, 8-6. After exhibiting tremendous fight to secure a breathtaking win in the opening frame, the Blue Eagles seemed to gain confidence. However, fatigue from engaging in back-to-back close matches started to kick in for Llavore and Guria. This would shift the momentum to the other side of Katipunan as Miguel and Silva gave UP their sole team-tie win of the match, taking 4-6 victories in the last two sets.

With these two favorable outcomes, the AMLTT finished the elimination round with an impressive 10-2 win-loss standing. This places them at the second seed in the overall standings and gives the team a pivotal twice-beat advantage in the upcoming semi-final round. As of current writing, there is no opponent and schedule yet for Ateneo’s semifinal campaign.

Team-Tie Scores: 

Ateneo-UE: 3-2

First Men’s Singles: Delos Santos vs. Largo, 6-3, 6-2

First Men’s Doubles: Tria & Gonzaga vs. Suson & Ormoc, 6-4, 6-4 

Second Men’s Singles: Velez vs Singson, 6-1, 6-1

Third Men’s Singles: Seno vs Edanga, 6-2, 6-4 

Second Men’s Doubles: Llavore & Guria vs Morales & Baje, 3-6, 6-2, 6-6(2-7) 

Ateneo-UP: 4-1

First Men’s Singles: Seno vs Fernandez, 6-3, 6-2

First Men’s Doubles: Tria & Gonzaga vs Liangco & Rombana , 6-1, 6-1

Second Men’s Singles: Velez vs Jarata, 6-4, 6-2

Third Men’s Singles: Delos Santos vs Mina, 6-2 , 7-5

Second Men’s Doubles: Llavore &  Guria vs Miguel and Silva, 7-6(8-6), 4-6, 4-6