The Senate on Monday adopted a resolution commending 17-year-old Francis Casey “Nino” Alcantara for being the first Filipino to win the championship of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament.
The Resolution 860, filed by Senator Pilar Juliana Cayetano, stated Alcantara made the country proud when he became the first Filipino to win a grand slam tennis tournament when he won the title for the Junior Boys Doubles in the Australian Open.
The Australian Open, held last January 19 to February 1, 2009, is one of the four grand slam tennis tournaments held in Melbourne, Australia, which attracted top tennis players all over the world.
Alcantara was paired with Cheng-Peng Hsieh, 17, of Taiwan and they won over Mikhal Biryukov of Russia and Yasutaka Uchiyama of Japan, 6-4, 6-2.
Alcantara is the Philippines’ top-ranked junior player and is now No. 20 in the world in the 18-and-under circuit.
Cayetano said Alcantara achieved this status even while being a full-time senior high school in Xavier University, thus being the only junior player in the world’s top 30 still in school.
“His hard work, dedication, discipline and sportsmanship sets a good example and is an inspiration for the Filipino people, especially the youth,” Cayetano said.
She added that the distinction that Alcantara brought home is a source of national pride and inspiration for the people and the nation.
