National University (NU) showcased their dominance in the UAAP Season 86 women’s tennis tournament with a commanding 5-0 shutout victory over De La Salle University (DLSU) on Saturday at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center. This triumph marked the first shutout win of the season and solidified NU’s position at the top of the standings.
Defending champions NU displayed a stellar performance, overpowering their opponents in all facets of the game. The Lady Bulldogs secured the win with impressive performances across both singles and doubles matches, showcasing their depth and skill on the court.
NU’s duo of last season’s MVP, Mae Bornia, and Alliah Ragunton set the tone with a dominant victory in the first doubles match, defeating their counterparts from DLSU in straight sets.
“I’m happy with the win but we definitely need to do more work. I think we could have done better, but a win is a win. We’ll train to be better in the next game,” said Bornia, reflecting on the team’s performance and emphasizing the need for continuous improvement.
Rookie Adeline Abadia and seasoned player Danna Abad delivered impressive wins in their respective singles matches, contributing crucial points to NU’s overall tally. Rovie Baulete and Angela Cabaral continued NU’s momentum with a convincing victory in the second doubles match, while Elise Abarquez sealed the sweep with another strong performance in singles.
With this victory, NU improved to 2-0 in the season, joining University of the Philippines (UP) at the top of the standings. UP, last season’s runner-up, also remained unbeaten after securing a 3-2 win over Ateneo de Manila University in another thrilling matchup.
In the men’s division, Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas (UST) maintained their top positions in the standings, setting the stage for an exciting clash between the two teams. Ateneo defeated Adamson University with a 4-1 victory, while UST swept DLSU with a dominant 5-0 performance. Meanwhile, NU Bulldogs secured a 4-1 win over UP Fighting Maroons, marking their second win of the season.
