Cydnie Casintahan, Nicole Flores and Alexis Samson shared the top spot in the Amaranta Sweats Pickleball Tournament after each posted a 6-2 win-loss record in eight games, earning a 75 percent win rate and sharing the P40,000 top prize and trophy.
Police Maj. Cris Ian Taghap finished second with a 4-2 record in six games for a 67 percent win rate and took home P20,000.
Entrepreneur Noe Neñera II and James Bañanola tied for third, each posting a 5-3 record in eight games for a 63 percent win rate. They received P10,000 each.
The three-day tournament, held Aug. 21 to 23 at Powerplay Sports Central, with the final day at Arena Athletics along Carlos P. Garcia Highway in Barangay Matina Crossing, Davao City, brought together family members, friends, students, professionals, and pickleball enthusiasts for competitive but friendly matches.
Players earned their rankings based on their win rates and win-loss records.
Beyond the leaderboard and prizes, organizers said the tournament aimed to create a space where people could enjoy the sport, compete with sportsmanship, and strengthen relationships.
University of the Philippines Diliman alumnus Clevin Joy G. Conde, proprietor of Amaranta Suites and Amaranta Beach Resort, chaired the tournament. He organized the event with his lawyer friends, Atty. Ralph Vincent Honorico and his wife, Thea Joyce Castigador Honorico; Atty. Franklin Flores; Davao City 1st District Poblacion Barangay 5-A Kagawad Anthony Jacaria; and Jeepy P. Compio of the Psychology Department of Ateneo de Davao University.
“Remember that every point is a lesson. Sometimes we win, sometimes we miss, but we always get another chance to try again,” Conde said.
The tournament welcomed players across generations and backgrounds, from children and parents to students and working professionals. For many participants, the matches offered more than a chance to win. They provided an opportunity to build confidence, meet new people and strengthen friendships.
“In the game and in life, it’s not always about the prize, but about the friendships, challenges, and memories we create along the way,” Conde said.
Through Conde’s initiative, the tournament gave participants a chance to set aside their busy schedules and come together over a shared love of pickleball.
What started as a competition became a gathering where players could unwind, connect, and create memories both on and off the court. JPC
