Young, aspiring tennis talents showed no signs of slowing down on Labor Day, as close to 200 participants launch their respective campaigns in the Verde Aces National Juniors Championships Thursday, May 1, at the Verde Aces courts in Bacolod City. The Group 2 tournament features intense competition across various age categories, showcasing some of the country’s most promising junior players. All eyes will be on top seed Izabelle Camcam and the surging Kathryn Bugna, who are set to clash in the girls’ 14- and 16-and-under divisions of the event, part of the nationwide PPS-PEPP circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop through president/CEO Bobby Castro. Camcam, seeded first in all three categories she’s entered, is also the player to beat in the girls’ 18-and-U draw, which includes strong contenders such as Besper Zapatos, Isobel Aldeguer, Angela Chavez, Claire Fungo, Isobel Alipo-On, Atila Deocampo and Saze Nillama. Bugna, 14, enters the tournament riding a wave of confidence after winning titles across three age divisions in the MACS’ Crankit tournaments held in Pasig, Iloilo and Roxas. However, she faces stiff competition from Camcam, as well as Raine Villamejor, Alipo-On, Besper Zapatos and Theriz Zapatos in her quest for another title. In the boys’ division, Rizzjun Labindao leads the 16-and-U bracket, which boasts a 32-player field featuring Raphael Lamata, Andrian Rodriguez, Fredrick Perlas, Kent Largavista, Marku Zapatos, Phine Billones, and Alwin Cachumbo. Labindao is also among the top contenders in the boys’ premier age group of the tournament, sanctioned by Philta and backed by Dunlop, Universal Tennis and ICON Golf & Sports, alongside Anthony Zapatos, Andrei dela Cruz and Takuya Joson. Francisco de Juan III, another player to watch, seeks to extend his winning streak in the boys’ 14-and-U division against a formidable group that includes Grey Caro, Claran Alipo-On, Christian Jarloyan, Robertson Olavides, Jake Jarqueo, Largavista and Billones. De Juan also top-bills the 12-and-U category but is expected to be tested by Caro, Olavides, Jarloyan and Rayven Milliam in the five-day event which continues to highlight the depth of young tennis talent across the country and is a key stop in the Visayan swing of the nationwide talent-search. In the girls’ 12-and-U division, Donarose Olavides and Kate Chavez are primed for a potential showdown, while the youngest competitors will vie for the 10-and-U unisex title, with Donarose Olavides, Jamesh Dagang, Oscar Harrow and Brice Chavez among the top contenders.