Lim's grit, spunk shine in Masters triumph

Under the bright lights of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, AJ Lim didn’t just win a title – he reaffirmed his place atop Philippine tennis.

Drawing on grit forged through injuries and illness, Lim outlasted perennial rival Eric Jed Olivarez, 6-3, 7-5, to capture the Philta Men’s Masters Top 8 crown Sunday night, Feb. 22, and reassert his status as the country’s premier player.

The P160,000 winner’s purse was a fitting reward. But more significant was the statement victory – his nth triumph over Olivarez in Open finals – underscoring a mastery that has defined their rivalry and reminding everyone that when healthy, Lim remains the man to beat.

For the 26-year-old, the win symbolized a full-circle comeback. Once sidelined by health setbacks that stalled his momentum, Lim has painstakingly rebuilt his game and confidence. Under the pressure of primetime play, with every point amplified by the night air and the glare of the lights, he showed the composure and steel that once made him the youngest PCA Open champion at 16 in 2015.

The opening frame set the tone for a duel worthy of the spotlight.

Lim stormed to a 3-0 lead, only for Olivarez to claw back with three straight games of his own. But just when the momentum appeared to shift, Lim raised his level. He held serve in the seventh game, then broke Olivarez after a tense deuce battle in the eighth before sealing the set with a love hold – a finishing kick that spoke volumes about his resolve.

The second set was even tighter – a back-and-forth chess match that could have swung either way.

They traded serves through the first 10 games, highlighted by a gripping fourth-game exchange that stretched deep into deuce before Lim narrowly escaped to hold. Neither player blinked, each probing for cracks, each refusing to yield ground.

At 5-all, Lim finally made his move.

Unleashing his full arsenal – precise returns, sharp court coverage and fearless net play – he raced to a 0-40 lead and secured the crucial break for a 6-5 edge. Serving for the championship, he dropped the first point, steadied himself to win two straight, conceded another, then slammed the door with back-to-back points – sealing the set, the match and the championship.

Olivarez, who has repeatedly pushed Lim to the brink in major finals, settled for the P80,000 runner-up prize. Nilo Ledama claimed third place with a win over Fritz Verdad and earned P50,000 in the tournament held in honor of Rep. Eric Olivarez.

In pool play, both finalists stamped their class. Lim swept past Nilo Ledama, John Kendrick Bona and Noel Salupado, while Olivarez dominated Vicente Anasta, Joven Ronard and Verdad to secure the first two semifinal berths. Ledama and Verdad advanced to the Final Four but fell to the superior form and big-match poise of Olivarez and Lim in the crossover matches.

But the night ultimately belonged to Lim – the survivor, the closer, the champion once more.

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