Jenet Rodriguez rallies to win Philippines' fourth table tennis gold at ADNEC

Jenet Rodriguez mounted a comeback after dropping the opening set to beat Samaar Al Hafe of Syria 13-15, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10, a victory reported to have secured the Philippines' fourth table tennis gold at the Open Masters Games in Abu Dhabi, according to an Original Report and the Philippine News Agency. Rodriguez lost the first set 13-15 before winning three straight sets to close out the match.

The competition is staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, commonly called ADNEC, a venue name used by The Manila Journal; an Original Report described the site as the UAE National Exhibition Center. The Manila Journal further identifies the tournament as the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026, and cites Thursday, February 12, 2026 as a date for events at the exhibition center, though the Original Report and PNA excerpts supplied do not attach a specific calendar date to Rodriguez’s final.

Filipino overseas workers based in Dubai also provided a major highlight: John Suico and David Lo captured the Men’s Doubles 45+ gold at ADNEC, defeating two separate teams from India during the knockout stages en route to the title, The Manila Journal reported. Suico is noted as a former varsity player for St. Mary’s College in Davao and a seasoned table tennis coach in Dubai, while David Lo returned to competition after a long hiatus. Both men advanced to the quarterfinals of the Men’s Singles 45+ division at the same event, and The Manila Journal says the partners joked about possibly meeting in a singles final to ensure the Filipino flag remained at the top of the podium.

On the podium, Suico told the Philippine News Agency, as reported by The Manila Journal, “We’re very happy to win the gold medal. The support of the Filipino community here is overwhelming.” That quote was provided to PNA and cited in coverage of the OFW pairing’s success at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026.

The Manila Journal framed the results as part of a larger story about veteran athletes and the Filipino community abroad, writing that “The Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi continues to be a major platform for veteran athletes, and this golden finish underscores the vital role of the OFW community in representing Philippine excellence on the international stage.” Not all details are in the supplied reports: the sources do not name the Indian opponents Suico and Lo defeated, they do not list the earlier three Philippine golds that make Rodriguez’s result the fourth, and The Manila Journal headline references a bronze that the body text did not identify. Those items—opponent names and scores, Rodriguez’s event category and exact match date, and the full Philippine medal breakdown at OMGAD—remain to be confirmed with official results.