Palawan Open unwraps new era for PH tennis

The Palawan Open 2026 takes center stage Sunday, May 24, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, featuring a PHP 2 million total prize pool and an international cast, with the event envisioned as the cornerstone of a nationwide movement to revitalize the sport from the grassroots up to the elite global level.

Leading the charge in the stellar 64-player men’s singles main draw is top seed Digvijay Singh of India, who brings the pedigree of a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 485. Singh kicks off his campaign in the upper half against local challenger Ethan Cablitas.

Two other formidable foreign aces are also tipped to test the mettle of the homegrown roster. Christopher Papa of the U.S., holding a career-best doubles ATP ranking of No. 446, enters as the tournament’s No. 4 seed and clashes with Isaac Lim. Meanwhile, India’s Aggarwal Parth takes the No. 5 spot and faces off against Joshua Ferrer, with the foreign contingent aiming to impose its strong form early in the weeklong championship.

Multi-titled campaigner AJ Lim and Eric Jed Olivarez spearhead the local defense. Seeded No. 2, Lim looks to ride his string of recent domestic victories as he opens against Adrian Cagitla. The third-seeded Olivarez, entering the tournament with the momentum of a stellar quarterfinal run at the ITF M15 Luan in China, aims to sustain his form against Raphael Villanueva.

Other notable Filipino standouts expected to hurdle their opening assignments include Asian Games veteran Casey Alcantara, John Benedict Aguilar, Nilo Ledama, Vicente Anasta, Arthur Pantino, John Kendrick Bona, Ronard Joven, Jarell Edangga, Lance Fernandez, Noel Salupado, and Loucas Fernandez.

Beyond the lucrative cash prizes and the trophy hunt, the tournament represents a strategic investment in the future of the local tennis ecosystem.

“This tournament represents a vital investment in the future of Philippine tennis,” said Bobby Castro, founder and chairman of the organizing Palawan Group of Companies. “Our goal is to provide local players with steady, high-level competition right here at home, expose them to world-class talent, and motivate the next generation of Filipino champions.”

He emphasized that the tournament is built to be a sustainable pathway for young talents. To institutionalize this vision, organizers revealed that the Palawan Open will become an annual fixture rotating across major cities and provinces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — energizing local sports tourism and discovering hidden regional gems in the process.

The high-octane action in the women’s singles division fires off Monday, with top seed Tennielle Madis colliding with Althea Azores and No. 2 Steffi Aludo facing a tough qualifier. Third seed Tiffany Nocos shares the court with Annika Diwa, and fourth-ranked Kaye-Ann Emana trades shots with Amygray Olao.

The men’s singles champion will pocket PHP 300,000, with the runner-up taking PHP 150,000 and the losing semifinalists receiving PHP 100,000 each. The women’s singles titlist will take home PHP 100,000. Intense rivalries are also guaranteed across the men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles divisions.

Presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Gentry Timepieces, and Bagong Pilipinas, the tournament is supported and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and the Universal Tennis Rating, and backed by Dunlop as the official ball, Franchise One Hotel as the official hotel, Queens at Bollywood Restaurant as the official restaurant, Darlings Fine Jewels, Victoria Linen, and the Palawan Group of Companies.