Heo remains top junior netter
Ji Hoon Heo remained the CNMI’s top ranked junior netter as he once again ruled the 2008 Spectrum Electric Inc.-Marianas Medical Center Junior Tennis Championships held over the weekend at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.
Heo, fresh from his South Korean sortie, cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 crushing of Russell Buenaventura in the finals of the boys’ 18-and-under division.
Heo did not lose a set in the entire tournament and only dropped one game in the two-weekend tournament that aims to award points to all junior netters to determine their CNMI rankings.
Only James Camacho managed to win a game in a losing effort against Heo, 0-6, 1-6.
Camacho settled for third place after beating Woo Suk Chang, 8-4. Camacho also won against Andy Nutting, 6-0, 6-1, in Sunday’s matches.
Buenaventura defeated Joseph Jang, 6-0, 6-1, to arrange a finals showdown with Heo. Chang downed Calvin Yang, 6-1, 6-2, in the other game on Sunday.
In the boys’ 13-and-under division, Christian Miller bested Nathan Nutting in the finals, 6-3, 6-1.
Miller opened up the weekend with a 6-1, 6-4 decision against Jake Lee and was pushed to the limit by Dave Camacho in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 triumph. He won by walkover against Ron Florencio to become well-rested in the finals.
Nutting scored consecutive wins against B. Song, 6-4, 6-3, brother Lucas, 6-4, 6-0, and Clay McCullough Stearns, 6-0, 6-1, to set up a finals match against Miller.
Miller and Nutting were given first-round byes.
Chris Cajigan continues to dominate the 9-and-under division after scoring a 6-3 win over Collin Ramsey. Cajigan’s previous wins were against Michael Jones by walkover and Evzen Pabellon, 6-1.
Pabellon settled for fifth after scoring wins against Carl Dela Cruz, 7-6, Steven Goodwin, 6-0, and Luther Lizama, 6-3.