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Tough luck for Carol
The CNMI’s Carol Lee makes a return to South Australia’s Madison Bishop during their first round match in the 2015 14/U Australian Championships last Saturday at the Melbourne Park.
(Oceania Tennis Federation)
The CNMI’s Carol Lee was poised for an upset against her seeded foe in the 2015 14/U Australian Championships before an injury forced her to retire in the first round match last Saturday at the Melbourne Park.
Lee challenged No. 2-ranked Madison Bishop of South Australia in the 64-player main draw and was one point away from completing a come-from-behind win when a knee strain prevented the former from finishing the match. She was up, 5-3, and serving in the third set when the game was halted because she couldn’t continue to play.
Before the tough break, the Commonwealth bet came from a 6-4 victory in the second set, making up for an opening set loss to Bishop in similar fashion.
Carol’s father, Dong Min, said his daughter was really upset she did not finish the game and missed the win.
“However, I told her not to think much about winning and focus on her recovery. Her health is more important,” Dong Min said in an interview with Saipan Tribune last Sunday.
Carol went on to battle back from her knee strain, as she played in the consolation draw (west group) and won back-to-back games to make it to the quarterfinals. She swept Western Australia’s Hayley O’Donnell, 6-1, 6-1, and South’s Leonora Radocaj, 6-3, 6-1, to book a Round of 8 ticket. Carol will be facing New South Wales’ Bojana Marinkov in the quarterfinals today.
The 13-year-old Lee is in Australia as part of the Pacific GSDF (Grand Slam Development Fund) Touring Team. He is joined in the Land Down under by fellow CNMI players Tania Tan, Ken Song, and Robbie Schorr and Tahiti’s Jeremy Guines and Naia Guitton.
Tan dropped her opener against No. 3 seed Olivia Gadecki of Queensland, 1-6, 1-6, and also bowed to South Australia’s Casey Tay, 1-6, 3-6, in the south consolation draw. Schorr and Song fell to their first round foes, too with the former absorbing a 1-6, 3-6 loss at the hands of No. 10 seed Sebastian Flock of South Australia. Song, on the other hand, was defeated by Victoria’s Stefan Storch, 0-6, 1-6. Schorr and Song are scheduled to duel Terry Karahalios and Sam Whitehead, respectively, in the south consolation draw today.
The four CNMI players will also compete in the doubles events this week.
