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| The 2026 Gentry Open Tennis Championships Organizing Team, L-R: Project Manager and Tournament Head Sarah Ofracio (Gentry Timepieces), Palawan Group of Companies Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Gela Villanueva, Palawan Group of Companies Marketing Manager for PalawanPay Miguel Mangabat; Chollo “Pareng Chollo” Pantera (Gentry Timepieces), Gentry Timepieces Vice President of Business Development Patrick Rodriguez, Gentry Timepieces and Gentry Open Founder and President Hayb “Pareng Hayb” Anzures, Gentry Timepieces Co-Founder and Senior Vice President Gerald Layug, Coach Yatharth Bhardwarj (Skywarrior Philippines), Tournament Director Bobby Mangunay (Palawan Pawnshop) (Image Source: Philippines Graphic/Gentry Open) |
What started as Gentry Timepieces founder Hayb “Pareng Hayb” Anzures' dream is rapidly becoming a reality for the local tennis community — a tournament designed to bring players together, celebrate true sportsmanship, and inspire the next generation of Filipino athletes. Now, following its successful debut last October 2025, the Gentry Open Tennis Championships is set to make history once again as organizers and corporate partners gathered at The Function Room in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City, last July 10, 2026 to announce a record-breaking Php3M (3 million pesos) prize pool, a 30% increase from the first edition's prize pool, for the tournament’s second edition, scheduled to be held on August 20-30, 2026 at the CSA Tennis Stadium in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
Now considered as one of the most lucrative tennis tournaments in modern Philippine sports history being granted a prestigious Grade A ranking by the Philippine Tennis Association (PTA), the Gentry Open returns as a top-tier national athletic platform with a larger prize fund, a stronger field, and an expanded commitment to Philippine tennis. “Business has given me the opportunity to give back and tennis is where I chose to make a meaningful impact. The Gentry Open is our commitment to helping Filipino athletes dream bigger, compete harder, and believe they can succeed on larger stages. That is what motivates me and my team. If we want Philippine tennis to grow, we must all be willing to invest in its future,” said Anzures. Also according to Anzures, the tournament represents more than just a sporting event, describing it as a long-term investment in people, purpose, and national pride. He stated, “When I started in my passion towards tennis, I found it still young, and for a lot of very talented Filipino players that have already exerted all their years into tennis, they lack the proper recognition that they need. And for that… the whole team decided to uphold and uplift the tennis community as a whole, especially for the youth and for a lot of elite players here in the Philippines. We believe Filipino athletes deserve a professionally organized tournament that provides world-class competition while inspiring the next generation to embrace the sport.” Through the increased prize pot, Pareng Hayb emphasizes a friendly push to raise standards across the local sports industry, working side-by-side with other major groups rather than competing against them, stressing, ”We always like to put up the standards… I would like to also clear up the air that this is not a competition between Gentry Open and Palawan Open. This is a very mutual partnership between us… This is not just about a tournament… This is more of our corporate social responsibility towards the youth and towards the students.” Meanwhile, Tournament Director Bobby Mangunay revealed that player registration has been overwhelming with the main draw nearly filled just days after registration opened. The junior division has already attracted close to 300 participants, prompting organizers to conduct qualifying rounds to accommodate additional entries. “The response has been tremendous. The main draw is almost full just a week after registration opened, so we’ll be holding qualifying matches to give more players a chance to compete,” said Mangunay. This year’s champions will also receive significantly bigger rewards. The men’s singles champion will take home Php400,000 while the women’s singles winner will earn Php300,000 along with premium prizes and exclusive giveaways. Mangunay added, “What makes this tournament unique isn’t only the huge cash prizes. Last year’s champions also received luxury watches worth even more than their prize money. Players can expect even bigger surprises this year.” Defending champions Tenielle Madis, the country’s No. 2 women’s player, and Igg Pantino have confirmed their participation as they seek to retain their respective titles against a strong field that includes Marian Capadocia, AJ Lim, Palawan Open champion Chris Papa, and several internationally ranked ITF players such as Eric “Jed” Olivarez, Francis Casey Alcantara, and Ruben Gonzales, among others. To push the landscape to international standards, the Gentry Open has confirmed that foreign delegations are already locking in their slots, opening up cross-border competition that local players rarely get to experience without expensive travel. Foreign delegation organizers confirmed early commitments from top international athletes holding ATP rankings ranging from the 500s to 1100s, alongside two top women’s players from the US, India, and Bangkok.
Beyond cash incentives, the tournament is placing a massive emphasis on player experience. This year’s logistics will feature dedicated player lounges and training spaces utilizing 9 to 10 of CSA Bulacan’s 11 courts simultaneously every single day. Furthermore, the event serves as the official launchpad for Sky Warrior, the tournament’s official ball partner. Sky Warrior will debut its top-tier “Black Edition All-Court” ball, giving competitors direct access to premium, international-grade equipment. Coach Yard Brad (Yatharth Bhardwarj) of Sky Warrior Philippines highlighted that their long-term vision perfectly aligns with Gentry’s pursuit of premium long-term sports growth, stating, ”As a brand, we want to share the stage with a like-minded vision, which is excellence, innovation, and long-term growth. We see Gentry Open is not just another tennis tournament — it’s a festival of tennis. It’s a long-lasting legacy that Mr. Hayb has introduced in the Philippines… This partnership should benefit both the organization as well as the tennis community.” When asked what makes the new tournament ball distinct, Coach Brad noted, ”This ball hasn’t made it to the Philippines market yet. This ball is being launched at the Gentry Open… Consistent bounce, consistent performance of the ball is the thing. In Sky Warrior, we work on the product quality. We don’t go on the pricing; we want to work for the product quality and we want whatever is better for the players.” A corner-stone partner of the event is the Palawan Group of Companies, an institution that has driven Philippine grassroots tennis for nearly two decades. Mangunay will lead the execution of the tournament, ensuring seamless pathways for both the junior categories — which already boast over 300 entries — and the marquee open division. Palawan representatives view the Gentry Open as a massive game-changer for talent scouting, giving local athletes a rare opportunity to face off against international delegates right on their home soil. ”What makes us proud is that we have a partner like Gentry who is a proud believer of sports and particularly tennis in uplifting the lives of our country… We will be able to discover not just local players but also international players, which is a game-changer. This creates a platform for Gentry to be able to attract players from foreign countries to go here in the Philippines to compete, so that eventually, we hope to discover the next Alex Ealas of this world,” said Palawan Group's PalawanPay Marketing Manager Miguel Mangabat. Palawan Group Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Gela Villanueva echoed these sentiments, noting that sports act as an invaluable vehicle for life skills that extend far beyond the parameters of a tennis court, stating, ”We believe that every child who has an inclination or an interest to play sports deserves the opportunity to do so… We are able to not just spark interest but also really help the youth in building their skills—not just in sports, but really more important is the value of discipline and hard work… We want the young ones to see themselves not just wanting to be the next Alex [Eala], but to see themselves as the next them, really defining themselves with sports.”
Beyond the competition, the Gentry Open continues to promote grassroots tennis, sportsmanship, and stronger collaboration between the private sector and the sporting community. The tournament reflects Anzures’ belief that business leaders can play a vital role in nation-building by creating opportunities for young Filipino athletes. “Our goal isn’t simply to stage a successful tournament every year. We want the Gentry Open to become an institution — one that develops future champions, strengthens the tennis community, and earns the respect of players and organizations across Southeast Asia. Success isn’t measured only by trophies, but by the lives we help shape through sports,” said Anzures. With registration lines open via the UTR platform until mid-August, the stage is set. The Gentry Open 2026 is poised to be more than a brief point on the calendar — it is a bold blueprint for the future of Philippine tennis as organizers hope that the Gentry Open will leave a lasting legacy in the future — not only by delivering world-class competition, but by helping cultivate the next generation of Filipino tennis champions and further elevating the sport’s profile across the country.
