Francis Casey Alcantara more of a doubles partner winner?
He is supposed to be the next Filipino tennis sensation after a long drought but is Francis Casey Alcantara really a potential for singles?
No doubt, Casey’s coach Jun Toledo, would say his ward has tremendously improved and may become the next local icon judging from compliments of other coaches in Great Britain, France and Belgium.
“They say, he has good attitude on court and that what he really needs is more focus and attention on the match,” said Toledo on his 17-year-old ward.
Francis Casey Alcantara
Alcantara became a household name after an Australian Open junior doubles title with Taiwanese partner Hsieh Cheng-peng last January and now, he has won another one with Sweden’s Daniel Berta at the 20th Mitsubishi Lancer ITF Junior Championships.
He had no luck in the singles as he crashed out in the third round after losing to Italy’s Matteo Civarolo, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 last March 26.
So where does he really belong to, the singles or the doubles?
”At this time, I am trying my very best to be good in both but in doubles, I have someone to share energy with. I also need mental focus but more importantly, better physical development for strength—or more muscles for better movement,” said Alcantara who hails from Cagayan de Oro City. “Maybe, I am just plain lucky in doubles because I am often paired with big winners.”
What about service and ground strokes? “Yes, for sure, there’s a lot of things to be done yet. I will be practicing more now that I have already graduated from high school at Xavier’s in Cagayan de Oro.”
As of now, he is still thinking of what course to take brought about by the scholarship options being offered to him in the US. “ I got offers from the Pepperdine University in California, University of Virginia, Texas A@M, Chicago, Illinois and a couple more for a four-year scholarship grant. I ‘ll have to make a choice but for now, I will enjoy my short vacation and savour my wins.”
The 5’6” slim player is glad that some people like Oscar Hilado of Phinma, John Lhuillier, Dunlop and others have tied up with him as sponsors so he could continue training, preparing and competing to improve his junior and world ranking.
He rues the fact that his sport is not that popular in the country because of weak public and private support, lack of sponsors, lack of first-class/world class facilities for practice, lack of foreign exposure and training and even lack of talents where we can pick those who really have potentials to make the grade.
”Other countries are building better and better facilities to train kids very early on the game. Their field of selection is continuously expanding to make way for world champions. That’s what is happening in European countries like Sweden, Switzerland and Germany. Elsewhere, there’s Australia and the dominant US and Latin America.”
He himself started tinkering with tennis when he was just five years old.
“It’s sort of a family affair; my dad plays and so do my uncles, my aunts and cousins. In fact, my two younger brothers, 14-year old Frederick and 12 year old Francis Edelbert are at it although they have not become serious as I am.”
His advice to the young who would like to achieve things in sport or any walk of life is: “If you want something, go for it. If I can do it, so can you.”
Good advice from someone so young and yet on top of his career.
