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Race, Lee lead q’finals cast
Allan Lee, left, slices a backhand, while teammate Jeff Race looks on during their mixed-up doubles match against Jim Tuttle and Riko Ojima in the 2016 White Coconut Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Pacific Islands Club.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)
CNMI coach Jeff Race and junior player Allan Lee swept Jim Tuttle and Riko Ojima, 6-0, 6-4, to march into the quarterfinals of the mixed-up doubles event in the 2016 White Coconut Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Pacific Islands Club court.
With the victory, Race and Allan set up a Round of 8 duel against the pair of Peter Loken and Eugene Park at the upper half of the draw. Loken and Park also prevailed against Vincent Tudela and Sam Ryu after two sets, 6-1, 6-3, to move into the quarterfinal round which will be played this weekend.
In the other quarterfinal pairing at the top half of the draw, it will be Moris Villanueva and Asia Raulerson against the tandem of Ryan Cho and Daniel Kang. Villanueva and Raulerson advanced following a 6-3, 6-2 win against Gary Ramsey and Maria Gregoire, while Cho and Kang eliminated Alex Martin and Jeffrey Seo, 6-2, 6-3.
In the lower of the draw, the quarterfinal cast is composed of Carol Lee and Ericka Tuttle, Robbie Schorr and Grace Choi, Tony Kim and Coume Kaga, and Martin Jambor and Conatsu Kaga. The Kaga siblings arranged their quarterfinal showdown after Coume and Kim defeated Marivic Rosario and Sean Lee, 6-1, 4-6, 10-6, and Conatsu and Jambor beat Dylan Ackerman and Seung Jin Paik, 6-0, 7-5.
Carol and Ericka also took only two sets to down Colin Ramsey and Rei Sekiguchi, 6-2, 6-1, and force a quarterfinals showdown against Choi and Schorr, who took the long route to the next round following a 5-7, 6-2, 10-6 victory against Mihoko Tuttle and Ji Min Woo.
Meanwhile, Michael Ren, Colin Ramsey, and Schorr made it to the semifinals of the boys U16 singles event after ousting their respective foes over the weekend.
Schorr knocked out Tony Kim, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to arrange a semis tiff against Ramsey, who swept Vincent Tudela, 6-2, 6-4. Ren, on the other hand, played an extended game against Ken Song before pulling off a 3-6, 6-4, 10-3 victory. Ren will be paired against the winner of the Villanueva-Steven Goodwin quarterfinal match, which will be played this Saturday. Goodwin earned the right to face the top-ranked Villanueva for the last semis ticket following a 6-1, 7-6 win over A.J. Hudkins last Saturday.
