CIC Tennis Classic unfolds Thursday

The Filipino-American Tennis Association is just about set to kick off the 2004 Century Insurance Co. Tennis Classic.

The premiere tournament of the islands’ oldest tennis club will start serving exciting baseline-to-baseline action and jaw-dropping crosscourt winners this Thursday, June 24, at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

FILATA president Eli Buenaventura said he would like to thank sponsor Century Insurance Co. for once again bankrolling this year’s event.

“We [FILATA] and CIC have had a long partnership together. I would like to extend my appreciation to the company’s new general manager Nel Matanguihan and, of course, to its former GM Andy Del Mundo for their support.”

Buenaventura also happily reported that unlike previous editions of the CIC Tennis Classic, this year would be different because FILATA has decided to donate part of the proceeds from the event to CIC’s charity of choice.

“We want this tournament not only to benefit our membership but also our sponsoring company and the community as well. That’s why we will be earmarking as much as 50 percent of what we earn to charity.”

Matanguihan, for his part, said that CIC is always more than willing to contribute to worthwhile efforts endeavors like this. He said the CIC Tennis Classic is the company’s chance to give back to the community.

CIC new business development manager Jack Muna also noted that aside from the 46 trophies and some 140 tennis shirts it has donated for the tournament, CIC had also turned over several boxes of tennis balls to the sports association.

The CIC Tennis Classic offers a total of seven singles and eight doubles events. Men can enter in the singles open, 4.5, 4.0, 3.0, and 2.0 divisions, while women could play in the singles 4.0 and 3.0.

For doubles, men can compete in the 5.0, 4.5, 4.0 or 3.0 classes. Women, meanwhile, can choose to play serve-and-volley in the 5.0 and 3.0 divisions. Mixed doubles play is limited to 5.0 and 4.0.

FILATA has scheduled the doubles events on the first week of competition, from June 24 to 27. Singles events will be played during the second week of the tournament from July 2 to 5. All matches will be played at the AMP tennis courts.

For more information on the CIC Tennis Classic, please call Joy Minor at 323-3081 or Manny Po at 235-3897.