The 2026 Palawan Open concluded in thrilling fashion Sunday at the packed Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, with Filipino-American standout Christopher Papa and rising teen star Tennielle Madis completing impressive double-title runs to emerge as the tournament’s biggest winners.
Papa, ranked No. 4 in the country, toppled top Filipino player Alberto Lim Jr. in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, to capture the men’s singles crown of the P2-million tournament. Despite the straight-set result, Papa fiercely contested the championship duel, capitalizing on crucial breaks in each set to secure the victory.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Madis once again showcased her growing dominance in Philippine women’s tennis after defeating veteran Marian Capadocia, 6-2, 7-6, in a gripping finals showdown to bag the women’s singles title and the P100,000 champion’s purse.
The triumph marked Madis’ second straight victory over Capadocia, following her semifinal win against the seasoned campaigner during her title run in the recent Philta National Open.
The Palawan Group of Companies sponsored the tournament, the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) sanctioned it, and the Philippine Sports Commission, Gentry Timepieces, and Bagong Pilipinas backed it.
A dramatic semifinal comeback highlighted Papa’s journey against top seed Digvijay Singh of India. The Filipino-American survived a grueling three-set encounter, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4), to advance to the finals.
Against Lim, Papa displayed poise and consistency from the baseline. He secured the crucial break in the fifth game of the opening set and protected the advantage with steady serving and composed shot-making. Lim threatened late in the set, but Papa responded with three straight points to seal the opener.
The second set remained tightly contested until the ninth game, when Papa broke Lim anew with a series of aggressive winners for a 5-4 lead. Serving for the championship, Papa held his nerve in a tense final game, eventually clinching the title with consecutive winners.
The singles championship came less than 24 hours after Papa teamed up with doubles veteran Casey Alcantara to capture the men’s doubles title following a victory over Eric Jed Olivarez and Nilo Ledama.
Madis, for her part, continued her remarkable rise after dominating Kaye-Ann Emana, 6-0, 6-1, in the semifinals. She carried that momentum into the finals, overcoming an early exchange of breaks before taking control of the opening set.
The second set turned into a dramatic battle of nerves as Madis squandered a 3-1 lead and later found herself trailing 5-6 after Capadocia fought back strongly. Refusing to fold under pressure, the teenager forced a tiebreak and relied on her solid baseline game, sharp returns, and composure to finish off the veteran in straight sets.
Adding to her memorable campaign, Madis also ruled the women’s doubles event earlier in the tournament alongside Stefi Aludo. The pair dominated sisters Kaye-Ann and Mica Emana, 6-0, 6-2, to complete a flawless championship run.
