.: OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF BIEN AND BAMBI ZOLETA - PHILIPPINE TENNIS CHAMPIONS :.

Put an Eight year old kid in front of a Pentium III computer at a cyberspace cafe. Chances are, he'll play Counter Strike all day. He will most probably hunt down another kid through a virtually violent world of terrorist and counterterrorists, equipped with a 5-1(machine gun) or a 4-6(sniper rifle).

Give a kid a tennis racquet and he may forget the virtual world of role playing games (RPG). He may probably then live up to the challenge of being the next Felix Barrientos, Andre Agassi, Martina Hingis, or maybe Dyan Castillejo. On a tennis court, and unmindful of the scorching summer sun.
This is what whiz kids like Bambi Zoleta, Gerard Ngo, Tomnic Apacible, and Joshua Tan Ho would alternately do all summer long in their preteen years.

If playing CounterStrike would prove to be physically boring to them, they'd run around a tennis court and look for someone to challenge their strength and their stamina for the next 90 minutes.

The people behind Sporting Edge Management Group (SEMG) gathered a handful of these kids and let them speak their minds. SEMG is noted for having developed aspiring pre-teeners in their quest to become international quality junior players over at the Rizal Sports Club in Pasig since 1992 through the Reebok-Burlington Age Group Circuit.

They believe that the boys and girls who paly in their tournaments are the future of Philippine tennis within the next four years.

The other kids who joined Bambi,Gerard,Tomic, and Joshua that morning were Eugene Zolatre, Homer Perez, Hazel Ann Grecia, and Julie Ann Botor.

The next Mariciris Fernandez
Consider Bambi Zoleta Lucky. Former Davis Cupper Joseph Lizardo watched her play one afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. Amazed at how she moves fast for a nine year old kid. Phopet put her under his wings and is now the youngest member of the national training team.

The youngest of the four children of Noel and Conchita, Bambi started learning how to hold a racquet when she was two. She was lying on her mom's bed one night when she saw Martina Hingis paly on ESPN. Since then, she imitates her footwork and her arm movement.

Her enthusiasm at imitating Martina's moves inspired her two older brothers Karl and Borgy to teach their bunso the tricks that earned them varsity scholarships at the College of St. Benilde.

                This fourth grader from Maryhill College in Lucena is now considered a dangerous nine year old after having won three runner-ip titles when she joined the Milo International Circuit in Malaysia two years ago.

                Last year, she consistently beat boys of her age, winning a 10-under and 12-under crown at the expense of Gerard Ngo in the Gatorade Age Group Circuit organized by SEMG.

                Two Sundays ago, she reached the finals and beat Gerard Ngo, 6-2,3-6,6-2, for the Tru Flex National Age Group crown. "Tina-tiyaga ko lang sila sa baseline,e," said Bambi, who is predicted to follow the footsteps of Maricris Fernandez and Marisue Jacutin. The hard-hiting Fernandez was nine when she began winning 10-under and 12-under crowns in 1989. Her only rival was Cagayan de Oro's Marisue Jacutin. BOth then dominated the girls' tennis scene for nine years. Their rivalry stopped when Marisue left for the United States to study on a scholarship. "Marami na ang nagsasabi na baka raw siya ang susunod kay Maricris. Kung hindi man, si Marisue," said Mommy Conchita, who never played tennis.

                 Her coach at SEMG, Lefty Gonzales, sees her baseline game as very solid and takes time before it ever wears down. "parang pader sa baseline iyan. Very steady," said Lefty