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Fall Classic set for Veteran’s Day Weekend
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Posted on Oct 30 2008
The 2008 Fall Classic Junior Tennis Tournament will be held on Veteran’s Day Weekend next month with 60 players expected to take part in the boys’ and girls’ 18-, 14-, and 10-and-under divisions.
Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association vice president and longtime CNMI national tennis team coach Jeff Race said a good mix of veteran and rookie junior tennis players will take part in the three-day competition on Nov. 8, 9, and 11.
“Although all the North Pacific regional champions from the NMI will be competing, many first-time players are also expected and encouraged to participate,” he said.
The tournament will adopt a Compass Draw format, where each competitor is afforded the opportunity to play the same number of matches whether they win or lose. Race said every player but one in each event will win at least one match, “and the last match will be against another player closest to them in ability,” he said.
“In the end, everyone gets to play a lot of tennis and improve, everyone gets to play exciting and close matches, and everyone goes home with a prize. As this is the first event in several months, matches played will be one ‘pro-set’ to eight games in the 18 and 14 divisions, and one regular set to six games in the 10 and under,” he added.
Race also said that he is happy to announce that Tan Holding Corp. will serve as the tournament’s sponsor this year. “The NMITA is delighted to have Tan Holdings as the sponsor of this year’s event.”
Tan Holdings president Jerry Tan, for her part, said he is thrilled to support youth tennis.
“We’re very happy to sponsor this tennis tournament for youth players. There are a lot of very talented young athletes on this island and we want to encourage more healthy activities like this,” he said.
Race said that parents and players can email their entry to jeffrace@pticom.com by indicating their singles division.
Last year, North Pacific veterans Ji Hoon Heo and Mayuko Arriola topped the boys’ and girls’ 18-and-under, while Jake Lee and Thea Minor took care of business in the 13-and-under category. The 9-and-under, meanwhile, saw Quentin Ramsey and Emily Jones take home the championships.
