By Jean Malanum

MANILA – Gavin Kraut rallied past Shaun Apoll Globasa, 6-0, 2-6, 6-1, Wednesday to reach the boys’ 16-under final in the President’s Cup Masters at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Kraut will face Al Tristan Licayan, who prevailed over Julio Yñigo Naredo, 6-3, 6-1, in the other semifinal match.
“I started strong in the first set, but in the second, my opponent really stepped up, and I lost some focus. In the third set, I regrouped and played my game, which paid off. It was a tough match, but I’m happy with how I fought back,” said Kraut after the match.
Kraut, a Grade 10 student at Colegio San Agustin in Makati, will try to get back at Licayan, who won 6-1, 6-1, in their round-robin elimination match last Tuesday.
“The finals will be a challenge as he beat me yesterday, but I’m ready to bring my best. I’ll focus on recovery tonight and stick to my routine. I’m excited to give it my all,” said Kraut, the son of International Tennis Federation (ITF) Level 3 coach Roland.
The 15-year-old Licayan, who bagged a team gold and mixed doubles bronze medal at the 2024 Batang Pinoy National Championships in Palawan, is also excited to be in the final.
“I’m so happy because I finally made it to the Masters final,” said the 15-year-old Licayan, who lost to JB Lim in the semifinals in 2023 and 2024.
“I learned a lot from my previous matches. I will try to perform well in the final,” added the Grade 10 student at the Gov. Ferrer Integrated National High School in General Trias City, Cavite.
Licayan, son of University of the East coach Roel, is currently No. 3 followed by Kraut in the 16-under Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) rankings.
The tournament, held in honor of Philta president, Mayor Eric Olivarez, also features unisex 10-under, and boys and girls 18-under, 14-under and 12-under categories.
The event is the 2025 season opener of the Palawan Pawnshop National Tennis Championships. (PNA)