San jose del monte: Ariel Cabaral of National University Nazareth School (NUNS) made history by defeating Rafael Lagac of Ateneo de Manila University, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3, to become the first boys' singles champion in the UAAP Season 88 tennis tournament. The thrilling final took place at Colegio San Agustin in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
According to Philippines News Agency, Cabaral expressed the significance of his victory, highlighting the personal milestone it represented. He mentioned that winning this title had been a longstanding goal, inspired by his sister Angela, a former UAAP player and gold medalist for NU's women's team. Reflecting on his journey, Cabaral shared his reliance on faith and composure during the match, despite initial confusion in the first set.
In the doubles finals, University of the East (UE) showcased their dominance with Kobi Luzon and Aser Delos Santos defeating their teammates Kyle Saga and Al Tristan Licayan, 6-1, 6-2. Luzon emphasized the unique experience of competing against familiar faces, noting that the absence of external pressure allowed them to focus on their game and seek divine guidance.
The results from these matches contribute to the overall championship tally, adding a competitive edge to the tournament. In the women's division, defending champions University of Santo Tomas (UST) asserted their prowess by defeating Ateneo, 4-1, securing four wins out of five outings. Key performances from last season's co-MVP Kaye Emana and her teammates solidified UST's lead.
Meanwhile, National University (NU) avenged their first-round loss to De La Salle University with a narrow 3-2 victory. The decisive win was clinched by Adeline Abadia and Rovie Baulete, who triumphed in a closely contested match. NU's Elsie Abarquez and Maikee Vicencio also contributed crucial victories, while Juliana Carvajal and Kolin Cornell's efforts helped NU improve to 3-2, securing third place. Conversely, La Salle fell to fourth with a 2-3 record.
