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Unified Tennis Philippines lauds Eala, Alcantara and Arcilla

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Rosy Mina

<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/13/01-unified-tennis-philippines-(utp).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/13/02-unified-tennis-philippines-(utp).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/13/03-unified-tennis-philippines-(utp).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/13/04-unified-tennis-philippines-(utp).jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/13/05-unified-tennis-philippines-(utp).jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) co-founder and board director Gerard Maronilla, Francis Casey Alcantara, Alex Eala, Johnny Arcilla, and UTP general manager and board director Jackie Tomacruz. <cite>Photo by Rosy Mina</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) co-founder and board director Gerard Maronilla, Francis Casey Alcantara, Alex Eala, Johnny Arcilla, and UTP general manager and board director Jackie Tomacruz. <cite>Photo by Rosy Mina</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Unified Tennis Philippines also recognized their partners from Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, Unilab, Navegar, PhilCare, DFNN Inc., Madison Galeries, Mr. Freeze, Asiatraders Corp., and Chris Sports. <cite>Photo by Rosy Mina</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) co-founder and board director Gerard Maronilla, Francis Casey Alcantara, UTP co-founder and president Jean Henri Lhuillier, Johnny Arcilla, and UTP general manager and board director Jackie Tomacruz. <cite>Photo by Rosy Mina</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) co-founder and board director Gerard Maronilla, UTP co-founder and president Jean Henri Lhuillier, Dominique Lhuillier, and UTP general manager and board director Jackie Tomacruz. <cite>Photo by Rosy Mina</cite></p></div></div></div><p><br/>MANILA – For their superb achievements in the 2022 season, Alex Eala, Francis Casey Alcantara, and Johnny Arcilla were hailed by Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) during its recognition and coffeetable book launch on Sunday.</p><p>The event also marked the five-year anniversary of the non-stock, non-profit tennis organization founded on October 12, 2017.</p><p>Eala, 17, was the first to receive her plaque of recognition for being the first Filipino junior grand slam singles champion at the 2022 US Open.</p><p>“To UTP, thank you so much for your support. I think you guys are doing a really great thing for Philippine tennis and you’re definitely making it a good experience for the youth and for everyone who is interested in the sport. And I’m super honored to have this award,” said Eala, who reached a career-high WTA ranking of World No. 214 in October.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/22/22/what-it-took-for-alex-eala-to-become-a-tennis-world-champ">READ: How Alex Eala became a world-class tennis champion</a></li></ul><p>She has two ITF women’s singles titles and two junior doubles championships from the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 Roland Garros.</p><p>Alcantara, the first Filipino to win a grand slam at the 2009 Australian Open boys’ doubles event, was recognized for winning three ITF men’s doubles titles last year – one in Cairo, Egypt and two in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. </p><p>“We’re trying our best to keep Philippine tennis up,” the 31-year-old Alcantara told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>“Thanks to Alex, she’s the one really doing well right now, playing her first grand slam qualifying in the Australian Open. It’s a big boost for us in tennis,” added the doubles specialist with five ITF and 12 Futures titles.</p><p>The 42-year-old Arcilla, regarded as a &quot;living legend&quot; during the awarding, had a smashing 2022 as he won his record 10th Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open men’s singles championship and sixth Palawan Pawnshop (PPS) men’s singles title.</p><p>“Siyempre ‘yung puso mo andun eh… ‘yung passion sa tennis,” Arcilla responded when asked about his staying power in the local scene. </p><p>Eala, Alcantara, and Arcilla also received praises from UTP co-founder and president Jean Henri Lhuillier. </p><p>“I’m very proud of our three local athletes,” Lhuillier said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.</p><p>He added of Eala: “She has actually put the Philippines on the map in many ways. And I’m sure with her continuous play, she’ll be able to do more.”</p><p>As for Alcantara, the Cebuana Lhuillier CEO commented, “Niño has been doing quite well the last two years.” </p><p>The UTP president then said of Arcilla, “Johnny’s ageless. He’s there still winning our local tournaments.”</p><p>After the awarding of the Filipino tennis champions, UTP also expressed appreciation for its partners from Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, Unilab, Navegar, PhilCare, DFNN Inc., Madison Galeries, Mr. Freeze, Asiatraders Corp., and Chris Sports.</p><p>“This is our small way of thanking the presence of our super athletes and our sponsors,” said UTP co-founder and board director Gerard Maronilla.</p><p>Aside from the plaques, awardees each received the coffeetable book, which UTP general manager and board director Jackie Tomacruz described as a &quot;compilation of all the milestones of UTP.&quot;</p><p>“I think in our own small way, we’ve accomplished some achievements and really, the goal is to be able to help Philippine tennis.”</p><p>Moving forward, Lhuillier declared that UTP is planning to have more tournaments and programs this year.</p><p>“We’re looking at bigger and better things,” said Lhuillier. “UTP is going to be here. UTP is going to be offering tournaments and training, and making sure that Filipinos not only here, Filipinos abroad who want to play tournaments, can play.”</p>

For their superb achievements in the 2022 season, Alex Eala, Francis Casey Alcantara, and Johnny Arcilla were hailed by Unified Tennis Philippines.