By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense Kathlyn Bugna overcame a slow start to pull off a gritty 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Saze Nillama and fuel a remarkable two-title run in the Verde Aces Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships in Bacolod City.

The second-seeded Bugna initially struggled after a tournament break, needing a deciding super tiebreak to edge unranked Christine Palomares, 6-3, 5-7, 10-3, in the quarterfinals.

She regained her rhythm in the semifinals, dispatching Isobel Alipo-on, 6-2, 6-1, before recovering from a shaky opening set to outlast No. 3 Nillama in the 18-and-under finals.

Bugna, the 15-year-old standout from Batang Onay Tennis Club in Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City, also dominated Deocampo, 6-2, 6-0, to capture the 16-and-under crown at the Verde Aces and NOTA courts in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Ranking.

Meanwhile, Dumaguete’s Matthew Morris matched Bugna’s feat, sustaining his title run at home last week by beating doubles partner Andrian Rodriguez twice in the boys’ division to share MVP honors in the tournament.

Morris was in commanding form, dropping just six games across four matches.

He capped his 16-and-under campaign with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Rodriguez, then asserted his dominance anew with a 6-1, 6-0 rout in the 18-and-under finals.

Other winners in the five-day tournament were Theriz Zapatos of Kalibo, Drig Escobar of Bacolod City, Kate Chavez of Iloilo, and Luke Quitco of La Carlota City.

Zapatos, seeded second, upset top seed Donarose Olavides, 6-3, 6-4, to claim the girls’ 14-and-under title, while Escobar rallied from a set down to defeat Don Olavides, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, for the boys’ crown.

Chavez secured the girls’ 12-and-under title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Olavides.

Quitco also delivered a series of impressive performances, shocking top seed Joshua Ausan in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 5-7, 10-8, before surviving another three-set battle against Matthieu Flores, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 8-1, in the semis.

He then outlasted Zhyn Dupa-an in the finals, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In doubles play, Morris completed a three-title sweep as he and Rodriguez overpowered Ciaran Alipo-on and Rizzjun Labindao, 8-3, in the boys’ 18-and-under finals.

Nillama and Queen Villa ruled the girls’ division with an 8-1 win over Deocampo and Besper Zapatos.

Don Olavides and John Paul Taratara dominated Alexis Talde and Arnel Valencia, 8-2, for the boys’ 14-and-under doubles title, while Chavez and Arissa Macapended edged Donarose Olavides and Theriz Zapatos, 8-7 (3), to capture the girls’ crown./ASC, WDJ