MATTHEW CASTILLEJO GARCIA WINS NATIONAL UNDER 14 AGE GROUP SINGLES
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 18 May 2016
Matthew Castillejo Garcia, son of multi-titled Philippine ladies singles champion and Wimbledon, Asian Games and Federation Cup representative Dyan Castillejo, the popular ABS-CBN sports reporter and host of the award-winning program Sports Unlimited and her husband Anton Garcia, has capped his remarkable run of success with a victory in the Boy?s Under 14 National Singles age group FIRST GEN championships at the Alabang Country Club.
The tremendously talented Garcia didn?t drop a set en route to the finals where he overcame Sebastian Lhuillier 6-3, 6-1.
It was the 13 year old Matthew?s fourth 14 and under title within the past three months.
He also stepped up to win a 16 and under title last month at the 8th Alabang Age Group Championships and has had three runner-up finishes in his age group.
The 13 year old Garcia began with a runner-up finish in the Anthony Tordesillas Cup at the Manila Polo Club on February 14 and then won the Palawan Pawnshop Regional age group Championships at the GSIS Tennis Club in Davao last February 22.
In the three-day, Group 2 PHILTA sanctioned tournament, Matthew had a fine run on the fast-paced hardcourt beating young Sebastian Lhuillier 6-2, 6-1 in the semi finals before cruising past Djondi Velez in the finals also in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Matthew then won back-to-back tournaments at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City taking the Henry Lee Memorial on April 3 where Garcia?s remarkable ground strokes and wicked forehand which often merely skimmed the net helped him win in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 against No. 4 seed Miguel Luis Vicencio after defeating No. 5 seeded Diego Dayrit 6-3, 6-3 in the semis after disposing of No. 3 seed Rafael LLangco 6?1, 6-1 in the quarter finals and Marlon Avila 6-1, 6-0 in the round of sixteen.
One week later at the 1st Milo Tecyhnifibre age group tournament that ended last April 10 at the Manila Polo Club,
Matthey Castillejo Garcia crushed Nicolas Katigbak 6-0, 6-0 in his opening match before ousting top seed Sebastien Lhuillier 6-1, 6-3, followed by a 6-1, 6-3 victory over No. 3 seed Rafael Liangco 6-1, 6-3.
In the finals Matthew made short work of No. 4 seed Miguel Luis Vicencio 6-1, 6-1 to cap a rousing run of success in the 14 and under age group championships clearly following in the footsteps of his mother Dyan, who together with her sisters Jackie and Nina were a formidable trio in women?s tennis in the Philippines some years ago with Dyan qualifying for the Asian Games, Wimbledon and the Federation Cup.
In his last triumph prior to the First Gen championships, Garcia won the runner-up trophy in the 14 and under division of the 8th Alabang Age Group tournament on April 17 and returned to the court some one hour later to whip Stefano Guria 6-3, 6-1 in the 16 and under championship to avenge his loss in the under 14 age group finals.
En route to winning the title, Matthew ripped Alfonso Lacuna 6-0, 6-0. Daniel Estanislao 6-2, 6-2, Marco Ayala 6-0, 6-2 and top seed Marraphael Teng, coming back from a first set 5-7 loss to win the second set 6-2 and was leading 3-0 in the third and deciding set when Teng retired.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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