MANILA – Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr. once again proved his dominance in Philippine tennis after sweeping both the singles and doubles titles of the inaugural Philta Men’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Sunday night.
Lim overcame second seed Eric Jed Olivarez Jr., 7-6 (6), 6-1, in a tightly contested singles final before teaming up with him to claim the doubles crown. The pair defeated Arthur Craig “Iggy” Pantino and Noel Damian in a thrilling 6-3, 4-6, 11-9 finish.
The victory earned Lim PHP350,000 and 1,000 ranking points, while Olivarez took home PHP175,000 and 750 points in the prestigious Grand Slam-level event backed by Tecnifibre and the Philippine Sports Commission.
In doubles action, Lim and Olivarez split PHP80,000 and 1,000 points, while the runner-up pair received PHP40,000 and 750 points.
Lim said the triumph was made possible through faith, family support, and his team, adding that he was grateful for the fans who came to watch. The win continues his strong record against Olivarez, whom he has also defeated in recent major finals.
Olivarez, despite falling short in the championship match, reflected positively on his run. He battled through a tough draw, defeating Pantino in the quarterfinals and SEA Games bronze medalist Francis Casey Alcantara in the semifinals before reaching the final.
Both Lim and Olivarez are members of the national team that clinched a bronze medal in last year’s SEA Games.
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