Category: Tennis

SINGAPORE — If you follow tennis, you know that the meaning of “love” is different with this game. While love means everything in life, in tennis, it means nothing. It’s zero. What transpired here the past week was love-filled.

First, the shocker. It happened last Wednesday when Serena Williams lost to Simona Halep. The score: 6-0, 6-2. The first eight games were won by the 23-year-old Romanian. Watching from the bleachers, the sound was deafening inside the Indoor Stadium. All of us were in disbelief. Was this happening?

But, thanks to the round robin format, a loss doesn’t mean an exit. Usually, tournaments employ a knockout system. You lose, you’re out. Not in the BNP Paribas WTA Finals.

At the press conference minutes after that embarrassment, I sat 15 feet away from Serena. She was downtrodden but still managed to smile. (Amazing how champions stay positive despite defeat.)

Serena survived — barely — to make it to the semis. In the last elimination round match of her group, Ana Ivanovic had a chance to gain entry had she won in straight sets over Halep. She won the first set. But then Halep won the second set and vanquished the chance for Ana. Serena, by virtue of a higher quotient, advanced.

FINAL. Last Sunday at 7 p.m. during the Women’s Singles final, the stadium brimmed with a boisterous crowd. Top Philta official Randy Villanueva was here. So was Jean Henri Lhuillier, accompanied by his wife Bea Lucero-Lhuillier. Many top honchos and players from Philippine tennis watched.

Three legends were in attendance. Chris Evert entered the arena and was honored as a WTA Ambassador. Martina Navratilova has the doubles trophy named after her. Also here was the founder of the WTA herself, Billie Jean King. The three Americans sat beside each other at courtside.

The Serena-Simona final was just like their match on Wednesday. Only this time, the roles were reversed. Then, Simona was the aggressor. This time, Serena made sure to be in control.

“I had to play more Serena-style tennis,” she said, “and just do what I do best: enforce myself.”

Serena’s serve, nearing 200-kph on many occasions, was the overpowering shot. On short balls or on floaters, she’d run towards the net and topspin-volley the ball for a winner. In one memorable game while Halep served, she finished the point with a thunderous smash. On her subsequent shot, returning serve, she smothered that ball so hard that it boomeranged harder than Halep’s serve.

Halep was helpless. It was another cold-blooded and unforgiving display of tennis from SW — the same type that won her 18 major singles crowns.

Personally, I’m lucky to have witnessed a few historic Serena moments: when she won her first major in New York at the age of 17; when she won the Olympic doubles gold with Venus in Beijing; and two nights ago.

DOUBLES. Speaking of “love,” another love set occurred in doubles when Sania Mirza and Cara Black blanked the defending champions, Peng Shuai and Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-1, 6-0. Everybody expected a closer bout. The Chinese/Taiwanese pair were the higher seeds (No. 2). But Mirza/Black were inspired. They were down a match point in the quarterfinals and down three match points in the semis but survived. They possessed that nothing-to-lose spirit last Sunday and, after losing the opening game, won 12 straight games.

TV. Too bad for us at home, I don’t think the BNP Paribas WTA Finals was shown on TV. The Singapore tournament should have been broadcasted worldwide — especially to Asia considering that it was the first-ever WTA Finals held in Asia-Pacific.

FUTURE ACES. One program that the organizers included was the Future Aces. They invited the top 14- and 16-and-under female player from each Southeast Asian country to join in a round-robin competition held at the Kallang Tennis Centre. Monica Cruz and Rafa Villanueva represented the Philippines. Not only did they get to join and play, they also got to be up close with the Top 8. During the Draw Ceremony the other Saturday, Rafa stood beside Serena Williams and was gifted with her Wilson racket! Nice!

SEA EVENT. There was also another junior tournament: the South East Asian Championships featuring the top two boys and girls players from the 12-, 14-, and 16-and-under divisions of the various ASEAN countries. Representing the Boys 14 was Cebu’s very own, Arthur Craig “Iggy” Pantino.

BALLKIDS. I’m also here as a tennis parent. My daughter Jana, together with top junior netter Kara Salimbangon, are the two representatives from the Philippines in the ballkids program. Indonesia is also represented by two girls, joining 48 children from Singapore. What a rare chance for Jana and Kara to be on court, just a few feet away, from the world’s Top 8.

(Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — Here, it’s all about “the girls.” The dominant colors of the tennis court at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and the Gardens By The Bay attraction all emit one lady-like color: Purple.

With tennis, only the girls are invited. The top eight men will have their own season-ending ATP Finals in London; here in Singapore, it’s only the top eight women singles players and the top eight lady doubles pairings that have been welcomed. Even the Future Stars tournament for children 14- and 16-and-below are all-girls.

On Opening Night last Monday, the first match was the highlight: Ana Ivanovic and Serena Williams.

I don’t know if it was a mere coincidence but when Serena Williams stepped into the court and started to warm-up, would you believe the song they blasted on the loud speakers: “I Like Big Butts.” I doubt it if anyone noticed the vulgar song but, wow, what timing.

The WTA Finals couldn’t have asked for a better pairing: Serena is world No. 1 while Ana was formerly at the top. In their Australian Open meeting last January, Ana defeated Serena for the first time after eight meetings.

The American led early, 3-1, before the Serbian fought back and, at 4-all, earned a break point; but she missed an easy volley by inches. Deuce. That was the only chance for Ivanovic to pounce. She lost that game and the game thereafter, losing the first set, 6-4.

In the “point of the match,” Serena was ushered to the net by a short ball by Ana; a lob was thrown to the ceiling as Serena smashed the ball hard; but waiting by the baseline and with a high jump, Ana smashed the ball in reply for a winner. A smash counters a smash!

The contrast between the two was captivating. Ana, soaring tall at 6-foot-1, is slender. She moves like a gazelle. Serena is a few inches shorter but is stocked with might and muscle.

The biggest advantage of Serena? Her serve. It clocked up to 194-kph and would give her one or two free points each time she serves. She can also split! A couple of times when she had to sprint to the side, she’d stretch, extend and split. Outstanding flexibility.

In the 2nd set, Ana gained an early break but it quickly evaporated. When she served to remain in the match at 4-5, she double-faulted. Down match points, she succumbed to the indomitable Ms. Williams. Final score: 6-4, 6-4.

(Edgar Su/Reuters)

In Game 2, it was Eugenie Bouchard vs. Simona Halep. Of the eight ladies competing, these two are the only “rookies” (first-timers) to the WTA Finals.

I was hoping for a Bouchard victory. Instead, she was spraying errors all over Singapore. Only 20, she plays with the reckless abandonment of a youngster. At the other side of the net, Halep was as steady as a wall, hardly making any mistakes. Plus, she had a large contingent who flew all the way from Romania. They were loud and they motivated the diminutive 5-foot-6. In the end, it was an easy romp for Halep, 6-2, 6-3.

(AFP photo)

SINGAPORE — Prior to the very first session here at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals — featuring the beauteous Ana Ivanovic versus the best, Serena Williams — there were two important moments last Monday.

The Legends. Yes, four of them played one pro-set (up to 8) of tennis. Martina Navratilova and Marion Bartoli teamed up against Tracy Austin and Iva Majoli.

The Singapore Indoor Stadium, which houses the WTA Finals this October 20 to 26, is not as giant-sized as the MOA Arena or Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila. Capacity-wise, it only seats 12,000. It’s cozy and comfortable. All the seats are cushioned. The airconditioning is far, far colder than Cebu Coliseum’s. At the center stood one rectangle: the tennis court, colored purple since this is an all-women’s tournament.

As the legends entered, the entire arena turned dark. Then, all lights focused on the court. They installed giant projectors to illuminate the rectangle, showing not just a spectrum of colors but actual images — yes, a mammoth TV screen on the tennis court! Amazing technology.

The legendary star? Who else but Martina Navratilova. Already 58 years old, she can still volley like a teenager and drive that forehand up the middle like a WTA pro. She is the holder of the most extraordinary of statistics in Tennisdom: In Grand Slam events, she owns 18 singles trophies, 31 women’s doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles crowns. She’s won these year-ending WTA Finals a whopping eight times.

Here in Singapore, like she is received everywhere around the globe, Martina is revered. As evidence of her athleticism despite nearing “senior citizenship (age 60),” in one point she sprinted back from near the net to the backcourt to retrieve a lob then, two shots later, scuttled her feet to smack a forehand down-the-line winner. The crowd roared in applause. Two points later, she calmly ends the game with an ace. Trademark Navratilova.

(Getty Images)

The Legends exhibition was fun because all four of them were having fun. Towards the end of the set, the announcer enters the court and speaks to Iva Majoli, reprimanding her for being coached. Her “coach?” Her little daughter, seated nearby, who gave her mom some words of support. It was all for laughs and entertainment. We were entertained and the score, with Navratilova-Bartoli defeating Majoli-Austin, 8-5, was not as important as the crowd’s delight.

By 7 p.m., it was another showcase. This time, the greatest Asian female player of all time was to be recognized.

Li Na, who rose to become world No. 2 last February but shockingly retired from pro tennis recently due to chronic knee problems, was being honored. Wearing a dazzling long black dress, a tribute was organized for the 32-year-old Chinese star, who won the 2011 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open. Had Li Na not retired, she was to have been part of the WTA Finals Singapore and would have stolen the glamour from the likes of Serena and Maria. Sayang. But still, it was terrific to see her.

Laser lights sprinkled as fireworks erupted inside the coliseum. Drum sets thumped. As the boys and girls banged their drums, lights were emitted from their shirts. Smoke machines exhaled fog. Us The Duo, the husband-and-wife band of Michael and Carissa Rae Alvarado, sang a few songs to excite the Singaporean audience.

Then, in an unprecedented moment, after making the ceremonial serve to start the WTA Finals (the first time the Asia-Pacific has hosted these games), guess what: Li Na rallied! Yes, wearing 4-inch high heels, she swung forehands and backhands with the Under-16 winner of the Future Stars program. The thousands gathered inside the Singapore arena exploded in cheers.

SINGAPORE–You can’t ask for a better line-up: Serena Williams. Maria Sharapova. Simona Halep. Petra Kvitova. Eugenie Bouchard. Agnieszka Radwanska. Ana Ivanovic. Caroline Wozniacki.

In tennis, next to the four Grand Slam events (Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open), the grandest stage is this one, happening this week, here in The Lion City.

It’s the BNP Paribas WTA Finals. Only the top eight best female players are invited. The total prize money is hefty: $6 million. Plus, there’s an appetizer waiting to be devoured: the year-end ranking. If Serena wins this Sunday, she keeps that top spot. If Sharapova manages to lift that trophy, she’ll snatch the No.1 ranking.

Exciting? Absolutely. We arrived here last Friday and, by then, all the ladies had descended at Changi Airport. On Saturday, we visited the Singapore Sports Hub — an expanse of multiple complexes, housing an aquatic center, tennis courts, indoor arenas, the Singapore Indoor Stadium and the 55,000-seater National Stadium (same seating as our Phil. Arena!). The entire Sports Hub costs S$1.3 billion.

At the OCBC Indoor Arena, we got to see the “girls.” Yes, this event is purely for girls. The men will have their year-ending finale during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London from November 9 to 16. So, for now, it’s all about the girls.

This is the beauty of tennis: the beauty of the tennis players. The first player to practice when we entered the arena? She’s 6-foot-1, born in Russia but now a Florida resident, and her boyfriend is Grigor Dimitrov.

Maria Sharapova practiced from 10 to 11 last Saturday morning in plain Nike attire. She was relaxed. Three bodyguards (okay, they were her coaches and hitting partners) accompanied the world’s most photographed female athlete. She’s super-tall and smothers that yellow ball with the fierceness of a Bengal tiger (like the one we saw yesterday at the Singapore Zoo). She hit cross-courts, topspin volleys, down-the-line backhands. By hour’s end, she stopped by the sidelines to sign autographs before exiting.

Next in line? A player who, to me, looks even prettier, especially in person: Eugenie Bouchard. Only 20, she has that golden face and a tennis game that’s golden. Wearing short shorts and a loose black Nike top that would rise often to reveal her abs, Bouchard smacks that ball with a short backswing. She powers her shots with as much force as Maria.

My wife Maria (Ma. Jasmin) and I were discussing women’s tennis. This is why the lady-players are so famous, led by Sharapova, who’s been often voted the most recognizable face among the planet’s women athletes.

It’s because of this combination: athleticism and beauty. These are some of the best athletes; they’re also the prettiest. Apart from Sharapova and Bouchard, also here in Singapore, though we have yet to see her, is the lady from Serbia: Ana Ivanovic. A former world No. 1, she had the “misfortune” last night of facing one of the all-time greats: Serena Williams.

Yes, SW is in SG. This is terrific news. Prior to our arrival, I had read articles saying that she might not come to Asia. Nursing an injured knee, she could have rested to recuperate. But no, Serena is here and, as an 18-major (in singles) champion and the winner of her last 15 matches at the WTA Finals (she won in ’09, 2012 and 2013), she’ll be very, very difficult to beat.

Back to the practice courts last Saturday: Of the three indoor courts, the middle one was occupied by Wozniacki and Halep. Wozniacki is famous for being the “ex-girlfriend of Rory McIlroy.” Scheduled for marriage this year-end, they split. While that was painful, their golf and tennis games resurrected; Rory is back to No.1 while Wozniacki is back in the WTA Finals.

Halep is not a famous name. Yet, she’s ranked No. 3. Small at 5’5”, she must be the fittest of them all. Before she hit the court, she stretched and did a myriad of training exercises at the side court for over half an hour.

As the banners here proclaim, it’s… Game. Set. Singapore.

(Photo: Reuters)

The United States Open Tennis Championships, which started in 1881, is one of the sport’s four Grand Slam events (the other three are the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon).

It’s called “Open” because it is open for the public to join. Months before the August start of the US Open in Flushing Meadows, there is a nationwide contest participated in by thousands. The top winner is awarded a Wild Card to join the qualifying tournament. This means that, if you’re a 45-year-old club player from, say, Los Angeles, you have that minuscule chance of gaining entry to the US Open. Thus, the name “Open.”

Open also means that the event is “open to change.” And, yes, what changes this year. For the first time since the 2005 Australian Open (when Marat Safin defeated Lleyton Hewitt) — that’s 10 years this January — someone not named Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal will contest a grand slam singles final. That’s how dominant these three have been.

This is exciting. It’s new. “For a change,” we call this. Because while all predictions pointed to a Djokovic-Federer final, the opposite happened: it’s Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic in the Men’s Finals today, played at 5 a.m. (Phil. time).

The champion doesn’t only win $3 million but, more importantly, gets to be crowned the title, “Grand Slam winner.”

My pick? Who else… but our fellow Asian. Standing only 5-foot-10, Nishikori will be dwarfed by the 6-foot-6 Cilic when they meet.

It’s the first time in tennis history that an Asian-born man has reached a major final. If he wins, then the accomplishment becomes bigger. The person coaching Kei? He’s also Asian — by blood. Michael Chang, born and raised in the U.S., won the French Open as a 17-year-old. This was in 1989. Imagine if, 25 years later, Chang’s student (Nishikori) wins today?

The all-star coaches line-up isn’t limited to Chang coaching Nishikori. The mentor of Cilic is a former Wimbledon winner, Goran Ivanisevic. The losing semifinalists, even more star-studded: Novak is coached by Boris Becker while Roger has Stefan Edberg. These four coaches own 14 major titles between them.

With the Kei-Marin final today, the head-to-head has the Japanese leading the Croatian, 5-2, and Kei winning their last three meetings (including twice this year). En route to the US Open final, he downed Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka and Djokovic — three of the toughest.

This points to an easy win by the Asian, right? Not so fast. Cilic dismantled Federer last Saturday. While tennis experts predicted an RF victory in NYC (his 18th major, same with Serena Williams) — mainly because he escaped those two match points in the quarterfinals against Gael Monfils — Cilic had other plans. He embarrassed Roger with a clinical 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win in just 105 minutes. He, too, is supremely confident.

The key of the match is Cilic’s serve. Against Roger, he served three straight aces in the final game. He was untouchable while tossing that ball and blasting 132-mph aces. If he serves the way he did against Roger, he’ll win. But if his first serve percentage dips and the points last longer, I tip the favor on Nishikori. Go, Japan!

SERENA. Fifteen years ago, my dad Bunny and I were at the US Open as we watched a 17-year-old win her first major title. Now aged 32, this same girl has won a total of 18 majors. (Her finals opponent then, in 1999, was Martina Hingis — who lost the women’s doubles the other day.) Given her hunger and athleticism, Serena Williams is on her way to breaking the records of Helen Wills Moody (19 majors), Steffi Graf (22) and Margaret Court (24).

IPTL. Tickets to the Nov. 28 to 30 meet featuring Maria Sharapova, Andy Murray plus many other top names are now available. For now, they’re selling “season passes” to all three days. They range from the least-expensive (P2,500) to the highest-priced (P49,000). They’re not cheap. Venue is the SM MOA Arena and tickets are available at smtickets.com.

(From Sun.Star Cebu)

The year 1919 was when the University of the Visayas was founded. Same with The Freeman newspaper, it was in 1919 when the first publication was printed. The Gullas Tennis Cup? It’s now on its 19th year.

A bit of history: Jose “Dodong” R. Gullas is a sportsman. With basketball, he was the co-captain of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers that captured the 1957 national title. They defeated the NCAA champs, Ateneo Blue Eagles, in the country’s first-ever televised game. He was later invited to join the Philippine team that included Carlos “The Big Difference” Loyzaga. Basketball dribbles in tandem with the heartbeat of Dodong Gullas.

But there’s another sport that’s even closer to Sir Dodong’s heart: Tennis. One of the most-recognizable events in the Philippine tennis calendar bears his name: The Jose R. Gullas Tennis Cup. It is the longest-running junior tennis tournament outside of Manila.

This started at the two clay-courts of the Cebu Country Club. A regular tennis player, Dodong Gullas would often play doubles with his brother, Congressman Eddie. One afternoon in early 1995, we talked at the CCC.

“What can we do to help youth tennis?” Mr. Gullas asked. “Let’s organize a tournament for kids,” I replied. We met at his office. We booked a weeklong date during summer. We discussed the categories (there would be nine – from 10 to 18 year olds). The action-man that he is, Dodong Gullas was soon announcing to the Cebuano community the launching of this major sports event.

Today, the Jose R. Gullas Tennis Cup is the most sought-after junior tennis tournament in the Visayas and Mindanao. It was the first event to garner a Group 2 ranking. Through the years, we have cultivated dozens of national champions – all of whom have been winners at the Gullas Cup. The names Jacob Lagman, Fitzgerald Tabura, Sally Mae Siso, Oswaldo Dumoran, and even Francis Casey “Niño” Alcantara – the 2009 Australian Open junior doubles champion – have, in their storied careers, all been called “Gullas Cup champions.”

Tennis is a sport that’s close to Mr. Gullas because, for many years in the 1980s and ‘90s, he personally swung backhands and smashed volleys. His son Johnvic was also a tennis buff – and has been present since the very first serve of the Gullas Cup. In collegiate tennis, the UV squad also boasts of the strongest players in the region. Led by Fritz Tabura, they’ve been multiple
Cesafi champions – and national collegiate winners.

Yesterday afternoon at the Inday Pining Teatro II room inside the UV Main Campus, we officially launched the 2014 edition. Before the start of the Press Conference, as Dodong Gullas and I were chatting, in walks his beloved brother, EddieGul. We talked for a few minutes.

With the Jose R. Gullas Tennis Cup, here are the important details: The event will be next week, from August 21 to 24, and is open to all junior netters aged 18 and younger. There will be nine categories for singles (10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 – Boys and Girls) plus five divisions for doubles (10, 14 and 18).

Venues: the CitiGreen Tennis Resort in Punta Princesa and the Alta Vista Golf & Country Club in Pardo. For the first time, it will be an all-indoor tournament. Good idea considering that August is a rainy month.

Registration fee is only P300 per entry (double entry is allowed). This includes all the court & ballboy fees, tennis balls, the Welcome Dinner on Aug. 21 (a holiday), and a free sports JRG shirt. Winners get trophies and gift certificates.

How to register? Visit the “Gullas Cup” Facebook page and post a message. Or, text/call directly our tournament co-organizers, Em-Em Siso (0923-9609117) or Jun Tabura (09278788686). After you’ve registered, visit the FB page the next day to check if your name is enlisted. The deadline for registration is this Tuesday, August 19. Join the smashes and volleys. Register now!

(Al Belo/Getty Images)

My choices lost. I picked Eugenie Bouchard and Roger Federer to each win the final point at Wimbledon. They didn’t. The crowd favorites, Bouchard and Federer, just by listening to the screams of the British, were revered.

Bouchard is stunningly pretty. Blonde, svelte, power-hitting yet not named Maria, she was the darling of The Championships. Sadly, Petra Kvitova annihilated her W dreams. The Czech checkmated her in 55 minutes. Only 20 years young, Bouchard will soon be a multiple Grand Slam lady. She has the mentality. When she reached the finals, she was not contented. That’s the hallmark of a champion — that hunger, thirst, need for more.

Roger vs. Novak Djokovic? Wow. That’s the ideal W for these W Championships. Unlike last year’s boring clay-court-like final, last Sunday was bang-bang-bang. They stood on the baseline. They rifled forehands. They swatted backhands. Serves smothered the T.

The first set was nail-biting. Just when you thought that Novak would snatch the tiebreaker, Roger inhales his 17-slam worth of experience to activate his muscles. He won 7-6. This is it! Roger fans believed. Eight Wimbledon crowns. 18 majors. Rolex watches to gift every family member after the triumph. But, no, Nole never goes away. Though he looks downtrodden, though he appears wilted with his skinny looks and skinny shorts, his heart is as large as Nadal’s. He never, ever, as Churchill would say, quits.

Novak wins the second set. And the third. Oh no, we, Roger fans, watched from our TV sets in anxiety. The 32-year-old looked old. As Novak looked to Boris Becker and pumped his Serbian fists, Roger was, like he always is, silent and cool. He was too cool that he was close to losing the dream.

Fourth set: According to script, Roger fades. He goes down quickly 2-5 as the Philippine clock nears 12 midnight. Time to go to sleep, we say; this will be over in minutes. RF holds. It’s 5-3. Serving for the championship — and the chance to snatch back that No.1 ranking from Nadal — Novak goes down love-30. The crowd erupts in excitement. Two points later, it’s 30-all. The fans turn quiet. Moments after, Roger scores the break — it’s 4-5 and on serve! Yehey.

But Novak, ever the brave, fires back. He reaches Championship Point with Roger serving. Bang! Fault, the linesman calls it. Roger raises his arm. The slow-mo cartoon video is called and it shows that Roger served an ace. Yehey! Minutes later, deflated and in disbelief at letting slip his chances, Novak loses the fourth set, 7-5.
It’s two sets all. By this time, the momentum has shifted to Roger. He has escaped like Houdini. By the 5th set, he’s stepping forward, slamming that backhand inside the rectangle. He has nothing to lose — he should have been in the locker room at this point — and an 8th W to gain. On the other side of the net, Novak wobbles. His leg is injured. Well, not exactly. But he’s limping. Yet, he fires an ace on game point. The trainer is called (delaying tactics maybe?) and he massages the Serbian’s calves.

Roger’s fans, by this time, believe it. They can sense History in the Making. For isn’t that the Rolex ad, “It doesn’t just tell time… it tells history.” Sunday, July the 6th, was Roger’s historic date.

Well, unta. Watching the game until 1 a.m. yesterday, it was painful. It was too bad that Roger lost after that scintillating comeback; although it would have been worse pain for Novak had he lost after that 4th set meltdown.

It was one of the best matches I’ve watched — just like Chris Weidman’s win over Lyoto Machida earlier that day. It was also interesting to see the contest of the two people seated: Becker and Stefan Edberg. The other winners? Uniqlo, with their logo plastered on Novak’s shirt. And tennis… for isn’t this game unique? While all other sports involve a coach, in tennis you’re alone… What made Novak win? His heart, will, mind. Finally, the best sight of all: wearing matching dresses, Myla and Charlene. How we wished their dad climbed the box to hug the twins.

Fritz Ponce Satera was at the prime of his life. He was tall, athletic and possessed a handsome smile. He was a friend to dozens of classmates, cousins, and tennis players. And how he loved the game.

“Fritz started at the age of nine,” said his father, Tito, during our conversation two days ago. “The date was April 7, 2005. I’ll never forget that. That’s when he first played tennis in Sibonga.”

Everyday, the young boy would sprint to the hard-court. “I got a coach for Fritz and agreed to pay him P1,000 a month but, weeks later, he had to leave because he had work elsewhere,” said Tito. “Nobody was left to teach Fritz but me.”

Father and son would hit hundreds of balls each day; dad tossing the yellow ball in various corners of the court while his son would swing and strike. Months passed. By October that year (2005), Fritz was ready for his big test: the provincial meet. He reached the quarterfinals. Not bad! said the dad but promised his son that, by 2007, he’d win the gold.

He did. Fritz swung forehands relentlessly and improved with each backhand. He’d go on to become a multiple Palarong Pambansa medalist and won dozens of trophies. Just last April, he represented Region 7 in the Prisaa Games in Tagum. Always the winner, he partnered with Mac-Mac Enriquez and won gold.

Sadly, and here’s the most shocking news, Fritz Satera is no longer with us. Last Friday night, he passed away.

Fritz was 18. He was to turn a year older this August 1.

Nobody knows exactly what happened. “He had no signs of sickness,” said his mom, Flor, during our lengthy talk at St. Peter Chapel when we visited two days ago. “The only time Fritz got hospitalized was a few years back when, together with his USC teammates, he had dengue. Other than that, he was perfectly healthy.”

It happened too quickly. Sometime Monday last week, Fritz was coughing hard and feeling tired climbing the stairs to his 3rd floor apartment unit. His parents had him checked and admitted him to the hospital. That was a Monday. By Friday, he passed away.

We don’t know the exact cause of his death. (Upon my speaking with a few doctors, because Fritz’s heart was enlarged, could it have been a rare case of HOCM –Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy — a disease that can strike anyone, including a topnotch athlete like Fritz?) Nothing is conclusive. What we know is that, after being admitted in the hospital, his condition worsened very quickly. This we also know: everyone’s in shock and hurting, especially his parents, seeing their only child leave this world so unexpectedly.

“Fritz was the perfect child,” said Flor. “He was respectful and was a very good son.” He was so humble, said his mom, that when she visited USC to check on his grades, she was surprised to know that he was in the Dean’s List. “He didn’t even mind telling me. He was that humble.”

I’ve known Fritz myself for a long time. In many of our local tournaments, including those I’ve organized, Fritz has often emerged the champion. There’d be many finals when he and his fellow age-grouper Jacob Lagman, older by just a few months, would contest a match.

When I scanned through my photos yesterday, I found myself standing beside a tall and handsome young man — Fritz was wearing baggy Nike shorts, orange Adidas footwear and our white Thirsty Cup shirt — as the event was sponsored by Thirsty three years ago.

Fritz Satera with (from left) Fritz Tabura, his mom Flor and JP

Jasmin, Jana and I are still in disbelief at his passing. So are many of his friends, including Em Em Siso, who said, “He was like a brother to me. He and Kokong (Nino Siso) are like brothers. After we both did the Kool Adventure Camp, Fritz once told me, ‘I wish I had a sister like you.’”

Dr. Rhoel Dejano remembers his doubles partner well. A couple of years back, Cebuana Lhuillier had a Pro-Am event. Dr. Rhoel and Fritz were partners. “We played one tight match that we lost 8-6 after a 6-all tie. I’ll never forget that match.”

Neither will we forget Fritz: a good son, friend, classmate, cousin, tennis player. He’ll be missed.

To the multitude of French Open-watching, smash-hitting and forehand-spinning players, here are pointers that I’ve compiled in my nearly three decades of playing tennis…

1) Practice your serve. The only shot in the entire game that’s completely under your control is the serve. Think about it. All other shots flying to your side of the court originate from your opponent’s racquet. The lesson: practice your serve. Very few do. They swing backhands and volleys but rarely spend quality minutes on that toss and serve.

2) Run Around Your Forehand. Most of us have a “weapon.” To many, it’s the forehand, and rightfully so. It’s the more natural shot that offers plenty of power. Develop a Federer-like attitude, one where you can hide your weakness (backhand) by attacking with your forehand.

3) Play with better players. This sounds obvious but we often neglect it. How often are we afraid to challenge, if you’re Class B, a Class A netter? Go ahead. If you stick on playing with those who are in your caliber (or those not as good as you), it will be them who’ll improve. The way to advance is to play with better players.

4) Slide. If you play on clay, like in Roland Garros, you’ve got to learn to do this. It’s the fastest way to get to the farthest shot. Glide like Novak.

5) Rally. I know many of us jump straight into playing a singles or doubles match. It’s fun. Your friends are waiting. And don’t we all want to compete? Right. But if you really want to improve, you’ve got to step away from “competing.” You need to rally. By rallying, I mean doing nothing for 45 minutes but trading shots with a trainer. Focus on a specific shot and practice that single shot 109 times. Take time off matches and rally with a coach/trainer.

6) In Doubles, keep a high first serve percentage. It’s not important to serve like John Isner. What’s more important is to put more first serves into play. Why? Because the opponent knows that you’ll have a weaker second serve and he/she will pound on it. Better to have a 3/4-speed serve which goes in than a 202-kph serve that hits the net.

7) Try different racquets, strings, tension. Like Federer, who recently shifted to a bigger piece of equipment, you should try the same. I know change is difficult, but it can improve your game. The best advice on new equipment? Try it out first from friends. Don’t buy the latest Babolat AeroPro without sampling it for 15 minutes. Also, try new strings and a new tension. If you want more power, lessen the string tension. You want more control, increase it. Experiment.

8) Videotape yourself. I know this is extreme but the best coaches do this to their pupils. Only after you’ve watched yourself in real action can you visually know what changes are needed. Use your iPhone. Play it in Slow-mo. Golf pros do this. Jana’s coach, Tommy Frederiksen, does this. It helps.

9) Spin your 2nd serve. Many of us smother that first serve and, when we miss, we flick our wrist for that super-slow second serve. I think it was Pete Sampras who once said, “You’re only as good as your second serve.” Develop an excellent 2nd serve by adding spin. The kick (American-twist) serve is best.

10) Mimic your favorite player. I recall, back in the 1980s when I first started to play at the then-Cebu Tennis Club, how I improved best: I copied. I’d watch Ivan Lendl’s matches (he was my idol) and I’d copy his wicked forehand. I’d turn my shoulders, pull that right arm back, point the elbow outwards, then fire that bullet forehand.

(Photo by Darko Vojinovic/AP)

Who, if you were to ask me, would I recommend that you follow, among today’s men’s players? According to strokes and based on who possesses the best mechanics, the undisputed winner is Roger Federer. Every single shot that he executes looks perfect. His serve is classic and no-frills with a very relaxed motion. His forehand is one of history’s best. Volleys, smash, slice backhand — everything. Follow Fed. If you’ve produced 17 Grand Slam titles and two sets of twins, then you must be truly gifted.