SEA Games 2025: PH assured of bronze in women’s tennis team event
The Philippines’ Shaira Rivera during the women’s team quarterfinals at the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand.–SEA GAMES POOL
MANILA, Philippines — Shaira Rivera and Alexa Milliam survived Vietnam’s challenge to advance to the semifinal round of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games women’s tennis team event on Wednesday at National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Rivera and Milliam withstood Van Chanelle and Nguyen Ly in three sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, to win the series after splitting the first two singles matches.
The teammates from US NCAA Division 2 University of West Alabama both fought through cramps after dropping the second set and dominated the decider to complete the come-from-behind win.
The pair is also assured of a bronze medal with a semifinal appearance.
Rising star Alex Eala, the country’s flagbearer, rushed to her teammates as they celebrated their first win after watching the Philippine tennis squad’s campaign opener that started in the morning.
Milliam dropped the opening game to Ly, falling short of a comeback in the third set, 2-6, 6-4, 6(3)-7.
But Rivera bounced back for her teammate and forced a deciding doubles match with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Vietnam’s Thuy Tran.
Philippine tennis coach Denise Dy relished the squad’s impressive start in the biennial meet.
“There’s definitely a lot of potential in this group and I think this is only the beginning,” she said.
“They’re great role models in general — whether singles, doubles, or off the court. I think those types of things have come a long way, and they’ve been doing a great job so far. I think that’s kind of why we’ve had the success we’ve had so far.”
