REIGNING UAAP champions UST Tennisters’ tentative on-ball defense faltered against the powerful hits of the Kobe Gakuin University of Japan in an exhibition game held last March 3 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Tennis Court.
“Our opponents are very precise with their strokes and we are hoping to achieve that skill, now that we already played with them,” UST ace Wilbur Orillano said.
Orillano lost in singles action to Taira Masaya, who practically led the entire game, 4-6, 2-6.
In doubles play, Maclean Barraquias and UST veteran Alexander Diego suffered a 1-6, 6-7 loss to the Japanese duo of Naoki Miyake and Shimpei Moruguchi.
The UST pair mounted a comeback in the second set, but came up short as the Japanese employed “Swallow Return” wherein they hit the ball back to the opponent in a low trajectory while slowly descending. The attack can be best countered by hitting the ball before descending. UST, however, had a hard time chalking up points because the Japanese were very quick in returning every ball.
UAAP co-Rookies of the Year James Cañete and Ryan Repunte also came up short against the Japanese Tennisters. Cañete was drubbed, 0-6, 0-6, by Naoki Miyake in singles action.
In doubles action, Repunte, together with De La Salle University Tennister Jess Dies, also suffered a heartbreaking 2-6, 6-7 loss to Fuyuki Ogawa and So Hanatani.
UST’s Keff Gamana also had the same fate in singles match as he lost to Moruguchi, 1-6, 2-6. Raymond Jude M. Dumaual
