6 jr. players to make elite team

Six CNMI junior tennis players are poised to get slots on the Pacific Oceania ITF touring teams after making the grade in the 2015 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships held in Fiji last week.

“Carol Lee, Robbie Schorr, Ken Song, Tania Tan, Malika Miyawaki, and Conatsu Kaga will all be likely selected to the ITF touring teams,” CNMI coach Jeff Race said in a message sent to Saipan Tribune from Fiji.

“Carol Lee, Robbie Schorr, Ken Song, Tania Tan, Malika Miyawaki, and Conatsu Kaga will all be likely selected to the ITF touring teams,” CNMI coach Jeff Race said in a message sent to Saipan Tribune from Fiji.

Lee will lead the group of Commonwealth players picked to join the elite squad after winning the girls U16 singles in the POJC. Schorr, Song, and Miyawaki earned spots on the team after marching into the semifinals of the U14 age group, while Tan also got the nod following her finals stint in the girls U14 division. Kaga will join the selection after barging into the Final Four in the girls U12 singles.

In the doubles, Conatsu made it all the way to finals with younger sister Coume and later the Kaga siblings, together with Ericka Tuttle gave the North Pacific squad the girls U12 title in the team event. Tan and Miyawaki also finished second in the girls U14 doubles and gained one win in the team competition.

Schorr and Song were quarterfinalists in the doubles and also bagged a win for the North crew in the team event, while Lee (with Palau’s Ayana Rengiil) made it to the quarterfinals in the girls U16 doubles and entered the win column in the team event.

Lee recorded a 100 winning percentage in singles matches (6-0) and 50 in doubles (1-1) for an overall 87.5 percent (7-1). In sets won/loss percentage, she tallied 92.3 percent in singles (12-1) and 50 percent in doubles (2-2) for a total of 82.4 percent (14-3). In games won/loss percentage, Lee got 81.7 percent in singles (76-17) and 58.8 percent in doubles (20-14) for a total of 75.6 percent (96-31).

Schorr registered 6-1 and 86.7 percent (matches), 86.7 percent and 13-2 (sets won/loss), and 74.6 percent and 91-31 (games won/loss) in singles and 66.7 percent and 2-1 matches, 62.5 percent and 5-3 (sets won/loss) and 56.5 percent and 48-37 (games won/loss) in the doubles. He had totals of 80 percent, 78.3 percent, and 67.1 percent in matches, sets, and games won/loss, respectively.

Song had a total of 70 percent (7-3 win/loss matches) off his 71.4 percent in singles (5-2) and 66.7 percent in doubles (2-1); 65.2 percent in sets (15-8) off his 66.7 percent in singles (10-5) and 62.5 percent (5-3) in doubles; and 57.1 percent in games off his 57.5 (73-54) in singles and 56.5 percent (48-37) in doubles.

Tan’s total percentage in matches and sets were both 75s, as she logged 5-1 (83.3 percent) and 1-1 (50 percent) in singles and doubles matches and 10.2 (83.3 percent) and 2-2 (50 percent) in sets won/loss in singles and doubles, respectively. In games won/loss, she got a total of 66.3 percent (81-43) off her 70.5 percent (62-26) in singles and 52.8 percent (19-17) in doubles.

Tan’s doubles partner, Miyawaki, had similar 50 percent in all three categories. Miyawaki had 3-3 and 1-1 records in singles and doubles matches, 6-6 and 2-2 in sets won/loss and 53-55 and 19-17 in games won/loss.

Kaga posted 5-1 in singles (83.3 percent) and 1-1 in doubles (50 percent) for a total percentage (matches) of 75. She has a better percentage (76.5) in sets won/loss after earning 11-2 in singles (84.6) and 2-2 in doubles (50). In games won/loss, Kaga had a total percentage of 64.3 off her 69.8 percent percent in singles (74-32) and 48.6 percent in doubles (18-19).

Kaga and the five other CNMI bets that are likely to be selected on the touring teams will either compete in Australia or New Zealand early next year.