Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency (PNA).
It was an inauspicious day for Filipino tennis fans as both their idol and favorite netter fell to a better champion, but still, the local crowd praised the victor, Colombian Camila Osorio, as the first-ever titleholder of the inaugural Women’s Tennis Association 125 Philippine Women’s Open and the ‘Queen of Manila.’
Filipinos welcomed Osorio, who ousted Alex Eala in the quarterfinals, as she expressed heartfelt thanks to the audience while raising her gilded trophy after claiming the tournament with a win over favored Donna Vekic, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the Open final at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum’s refurbished tennis center in Manila.
The Colombian was teary-eyed as she was presented with a yellow bolero in the traditional Filipiniana style with butterfly sleeves and hailed as ‘Queen of Manila.’
“I have no words to describe how I’m feeling right now… super-super happy to be here in the Philippines for the first time… It’s been such a pleasure to play here,” she enthused, flashing smiles to the audience who were captivated once again by the newly crowned Philippine Women’s Open champion.
“Thank you to each one for being here… I’ve never seen so many people at a match…” Osorio added, thanking the crowd of mostly Filipinos, whom she said she loves for their amazing passion for tennis.
