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While several Fil-foreigners are in the spotlight for the wrong reasons in the professional basketball league, two tennis players born outside the country but with Filipino parentage seem to have rekindled local interest on the sport. Anja-Vanessa Peter, a Fil-German charmer with the built - and the skills - that make for a potential national player, and Edilyn Balanga, a diminutive baseliner born in Madrid, Spain and whose parents are both from Pangasinan, made waves when they both reached the quarterfinals of the recent Holcim-ITF Women's Circuit Week 1. And with the current national pool wanting in talent, tennis officials are certain Peter and Balanga would be a welcome addition, if they're really serious in staying with relatives here. Peter, whose Filipina mother works as a ground staff for Lufthansa in Frankfurt, is now based in Subic while Balanga is planning to stay with the relatives of her parents, who are operating a restaurant in Madrid. "Anja has the height while Edilyn is a fighter. We are really monitoring their progress and who knows, we can get them on board the national team soon," said Ajay Pathak, tournament director of the $20,000 (about P1.1 million) Holcim series, which has opened the way for unknown talents to shine. Philippine Tennis Association president Buddy Andrada said that if they continue to improve, both Fil-foreigners can see themselves wearing the national uniform come the Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting next year. Andrada said that to bolster chances of winning a gold medal in the SEA Games, they need to strengthen the local pool especially since countries like Thailand and Indonesia now boast of several world-ranked players. By design, the Holcim series as an ITF Development Program, is a stepping stone to the bigger stage which is the main circuit where millions of dollars are at stake. Korean Lee Ye-Ra's victory in the event also supported by Holcim's local affiliate Union Cement, which has been the title sponsor for the event for the past 10 years, may just put her on the line to become another regional star. Lee scooped up enough ITF points in the tourney that should enable her to climb up the world rankings from her current number of 899. Earning 1.5 points each, Peter and Balanga are also set to gain headway in their chase for a world rating. The international cast of 32 players from eight countries returns this week for the second leg at the Manila Polo Club inside Forbes Park.
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