Thea to join Jr. ITF events in NZ

 Thea Minor will resume her search for the elusive Junior ITF ranking points early next year when she competes in three tournaments in New Zealand.

Minor earned another chance to become the first female junior player from the CNMI to get a Junior ITF ranking after receiving an invite to join the Pacific Oceania ITF Team that will travel in New Zealand in January.

“Following the successful Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji in July, Oceania Tennis is pleased to invite a small number of additional players to be members of the Pacific Oceania Team that will play in three ITF world circuit tournaments in New Zealand in late January and early February 2012. ITF is delighted to invite Thea Minor to be a member of the team,” Oceania Tennis Federation executive director Patrick O’Rourke said in an invitation letter sent to Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association president Jeff Race last month.

“The tournaments are opportunities for the developing young players from the Pacific to compete in ITF junior world ranking events,” the letter added.

The 15-year-old was included on the team after placing fifth in the girls U18 division of the POJC in Lautoka, Fiji in August this year. Minor also joined the Air Pacific Oceania Closed Junior Championships 2011 in Fiji, a grade B2 event that awards Junior ITF ranking points, but lost to No. 5 seed Celine Lenertz of Australia, 1-6, 0-6, right in the first round.

In New Zealand, the Commonwealth netter will have three chances to gain Junior ITF ranking points, starting in Canterbury where she will be pitted against players from Australia and New Zealand. The main draw for the 2012 Canterbury 18 & under ITF Championships will run from Jan. 23 to 28 at the Ashburton Trust Tennis Centre in Ashburton.

From Canterbury, the Saipan Southern High School student will travel to Auckland for the 2012 Auckland 18 and Under ITF Summer Championships that will be held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 Minor’s last stop will be at Wellington for the Tennis Central 18 and Under ITF Summer Championships that will be played from Feb. 6 to 11.

The CNMI’s top girls U18 player will be off-island for more than two months, as she is schedule to leave for Australia in late December to join the Pacific Oceania Touring Team. In the Land Down Under, Minor, along with three other Commonwealth players, will also participate in three competitions and watch a couple of matches in the 2011 Australian Open in Melbourne.