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

Bien Zoleta picked up the sport at around the age of six - at a time that her two elder brothers were at the peak of their games. Borgy's tough baseline strategy earned him a trip to the annual Malaysia Junior Tennis Circuit in the mid-90's.

The level of tennis dished out by eldest kin Karl was decent enough to earn the chubby kuya an athletic scholarship at the College of St. Benilde. Karl played three NCAA tennis seasons for the Blazers and graduated a school year ago with a degree in computer.

The departure of Karl saw the entry of Borgy as a freshman at St. Benilde under drill master Bobot Nalus. Coach Bobot, whose spartan-like method has produced a number of national junior champions, started his ward as toddlers.

Bien was a mere toddler when she took a fancy on the racket sport. Bien's first tournament was in 1996 when she accompanied her two elder brothers in the Milo Tennis Cup conducted at the Subic Bay hardcourts. There were not enough entries in the unisex 10-under division when the pint-sized Bien decided to enter as a saling-pusa! She went home with runner-up honors. she was barely seven then.

Two years ago, Bien conquered the same Malaysia Tournament - capturing all championship trophies in the singles and doubles 10-under categories for a total of six titles divided into three legs. A grand slam. Only Bacolod based Yannick Guba had accomplished the feat a few years back.

Last April, Bien made the cut - and the age requirement to the RP World NTT girls squad. The World NTT is for 14 under girls. Bien is 12. According to PHILTA mentor Cris Cuarto, who accompanied the team to a recent two week competition in Kuala Lumpur, Bien and teammate Ivy de Castro performed creditably well.

"Hindi malayo ang laro sa ibang taga Asia. bata pa lang talaga si Bien," assessed Cuarto.

Is Bien a jewel? No, Bien is a diamond. A rough, uncut diamond that could easily be molded into the priceless world class level of current Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin. US-based Filipino Maricris Fernandez was 14 when she almost single handedly dominated the Asian NTT eliminations inthe 90's. Her teammates then were Marisue Jacutin and Pamela Floro. Bien can duplicate, maybe even surpass, Maricris' feats.

But how? Do Philta officials have a mid-term and long term training program for Bien and company? What and Where are the next local and international tournaments? What are the objectives and goals to be achieved in these scheduled competitions? Will ther be permanent coach for the group in the next two years? Who will finance the developmental program of these girls?

Will Bien and company crash into the same limbo that the batch of Maricris fell into? The same wilderness that the current Davis Cuppers led by RP No. 1 Johnny Arcilla are stuck at?

Where does Bien go from here? I know.