Sports
4 junior netters attend training camp in Thailand
MANILA — The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) has sent four players to the 14-Under Development Training Camp in Thailand.
Amanda Gabrielle “Gaby” Zoleta, Julia Ignacio, Sydney Enriquez and Marc Andrei Jarata are attending the camp organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF).
The Asian Tennis Centre in Nonthaburi province is the venue of the camp, which began on September 24 and will end on October 7.
Gaby’s father and personal coach, Karl, is with the Filipino players in Thailand and he was impressed with the coaches who are handling the training camp.
“We are only in our third day and I can see that the players are learning so much. The players have schedules for everything. From warm up to the actual training itself and they have different coaches to fitness strategy and ball feeding. The camp is very systematic and organized,” said Karl in an online interview on Wednesday.
Karl, a registered coach of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), said he expects his daughter to gain a lot from the camp.
“Gaby will be competing in two international tournaments in November and this camp will definitely make her a better player,” said Karl, a former member of the varsity tennis team at the College of Saint Benilde.
He graduated with a degree of Business Administration major in computer application.
The Philta, in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission, will hold two ITF tournaments scheduled November 14 to 19 and November 21 to 26 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Karl also said that Gaby is hoping to play in the Junior Federation Cup next year.
“Gaby is a candidate for inclusion in the Junior Federation Cup team next year because all the top four players in the 16-Under division are playing in their last year,” said Karl, the brother of many-time champions Bien and Bambi Zoleta.
The 14-year-old Gaby is currently No. 4 in the 14-under division and No. 5 in the 16-under division in the Philta national rankings.
She is a Grade 10 student at the Bristol Integrated School in Lucena City, Quezon province.
