Japan’s Mana Ayukawa and Kanako Morisaki proved too steady for Filipino wild cards Stefi Marithe Aludo and Tennielle Madis, cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 victory to advance to the quarterfinal round of the doubles event at the Philippine Women’s Open.
Ayukawa and Morisaki maintained control throughout the match, dictating play with consistency and pace to wrap up the contest in just 58 minutes.
Despite the straight-sets result, Aludo and Madis showed flashes of resistance and gained valuable experience against a seasoned Japanese pairing.
Speaking to the press after the match, Aludo said the Filipino duo embraced the opportunity to compete as wild cards on the WTA stage.
“When we first knew na lalaro kami as wildcard, our mindset is ibuhos na talaga lahat and ipakita sa mga nanonood kung ano yung kaya talaga namin,” Aludo said.
“It’s such a fun experience for us, especially sa doubles, kasi we enjoyed a lot and actually madami kaming natutunan against the Japanese players.”
Aludo added that their earlier singles losses did not negatively affect their doubles campaign, as they approached the tournament with a fearless mindset.
“For us, we didn’t get affected sa singles namin kasi alam namin we have nothing to lose. This is our first time playing WTA,” she explained.
“Bahala na, you have to fight for every ball. Sa doubles, we really focused on strategies and of course, our teamwork.”
Madis echoed the same fighting spirit, sharing the advice they received from their coach.
“Ang sinabi lang sa amin ni Coach is ‘kahit anong lakas pa yan, gapangin niyo lang,’” Madis said.
Reflecting on the level of competition, Madis noted that while there are similarities with regional tournaments, the intensity at the WTA level is noticeably higher.
“Siguro same level lang yung SEA Games and WTA 125, pero mas grabe yung level dito sa WTA kasi wala talagang naggi-give up sa every point,” she said.
Aludo also highlighted the difference in competition, pointing out that the WTA field presents tougher matchups compared to regional events.
“Especially sa SEA Games, hindi lahat ng kalaban mo Japanese or Taiwanese,” Aludo said.
“Usually Indonesian and Thailand. For us, mas tough talaga yung WTA, even though we already experienced playing WTA players before in Thailand," the athlete added.
Despite their exit, Aludo and Madis took positives from their debut on the WTA stage, gaining confidence and lessons they hope to carry into future international competitions.
