MANILA, Philippines — ALTHOUGH both experienced in international play, regular Pinoy doubles partners Tennielle Madis and Stefi Marithe Aludo learned the hard way Wednesday that playing in the Philippine Women's Open, a WTA 125 tournament, is on a different level together.
The 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games bronze doubles bronze medalists where overwhelmed by the experience Japanese duo of Kanako Morisaki and Manu Ayukawa 2-6, 2-6 to exit the meet staged at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Madis and Aludo, who ruled the women's doubles of the PCA Open last year, were blown off the court on a sunny afternoon in just 58 minutes to become the latest local doubles casualty in the tennis showcase supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
At the post-match press conference, Madis, 18, and Aludo, 17, acknowledged that Morisaki, 29, and Ayukawa, 31, were too hot to handle and far superior to the previous foreign pairs they had face.
"Mas grabe po yung level sa WTA. Walang nag-give up sa every point. Hindi katulad ng mga nakalaro namin sa Southeast Asian Games," Madis, the 2024 Palaro girls singles champion, noted.
"Kaya ang sabi sabin ni coach Bobbie (Angelo of the Philippine Tennis Academy) na dahil malakas ang kalaban na gapangin na lang namin sa bawat puntos," disclosed Aludo of their mentor's instructions before the match.
Madis, however, that both of she and her partner learned a lot from the Japanese tandem, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the meet of the initial 2026 project of the National Sports Tourism-Inter Agency Committee under PSC Chairperson Patrick "Pato" Gregorio.
"Nagkaroon po kami ni Stefi na makalaro ko po yung magagaling na doubles player at nagkaroon po kami ng strategies kung paano makalaro ng doubles ng mas mabuti," the netter, a protege of former national coach Tom Falcis, said.
"It was a fun experience po sa amin. We enjoyed a lot at madami kamong natutunan against the Japanese players po," echoed Aludo.
But the singles play was rocked yesterday by the surprise exit of German No. 1 seed Tatjana Maria, who was upset by unheralded Russian Tatiana Prozorova, who fashioned a gripping straight-set 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win.
Avoiding the upset axe was Colombian No. 5 seed Camila Osorio, who shook off a shaky second set to eventually take out Japanese Mai Hontama 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 for a place in the quarterfinals.
On the other hand, popular Croatian Donna Vekic, the No. 4 seed, breezed past Maria Tkacheva of Russia 6-1, 6-2 to also advance to the quarters.
Also making to the next round was Belgian Sofia Costoulas, who dumped Chinese Ma Ye-xin 6-4, 6-2, and Thai Lanlana Tararudee, who vanquished Uzbek Polina Kudermetova 6-4, 6-4