Phnom penh: Filipino tennis player Maristella Torrecampo emerged victorious in the girls' singles category of the ITF Asia U14 Development Championships, held at the Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Torrecampo defeated Mongolia's Aissata Enkhzaya Adama with a score of 6-3, 7-5, securing the title in the tournament's first leg. According to Philippines News Agency, the third-seeded Torrecampo had earlier ousted the tournament's top seed, Vietnam's Binh To, with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 victory in the semifinals. Adama, on the other hand, had stunned fourth seed Linh Nguyen, also from Vietnam, with a 6-3, 6-3 win to reach the final. Reflecting on her performance, the 13-year-old Torrecampo from Naga City, Camarines Sur, expressed satisfaction with her win, despite initial nervousness and the need to stay composed. In the doubles category, Torrecampo, alongside Ella Paglalunan, couldn't progress past the semifinals. The duo, seeded third, fell to top seeds To and Nguyen, who won the match 6- 2, 3-6. The Vietnamese pair will face Singapore's second-seeded Zixi Wang and Hannah Tay in the final. Wang and Tay had earlier defeated Jannat Howlander and Mastora Afrin with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. In the boys' singles event, fourth seed Alexi Luca Rafael Aldemita was defeated by Vietnam's sixth seed Phu Le in the semifinals, with a scoreline of 2-6, 1-6. Aldemita, who is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, expressed disappointment over not advancing further, acknowledging his opponent's disciplined play. Le will compete in the championship match against Singapore's second seed Leon Ho, who overcame Vietnam's Tuan Vu 6-0, 7-6 (5). In the doubles category, Le and Vu, seeded third, upset second seeds Aldemita and Marcus Go with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. They will face top seeds Ho and Nicholas Pak, who defeated Bhutan's Tenzin Dudu and Pelthop Tshering 6-1, 6-1. Team captain Gerhard Bernard Mamawal emphasized the importance of personal growth over victory, expressing hope for the players' development during their two-week stay in Cambodia. The awarding ceremony is slated to take place after the second leg of the tournament, scheduled to run from February 9 to 13.
