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Lee, Heras compete in Oceania tennis tourney
Isabel Heras is in Fiji with Carol Lee and playing for the CNMI in the 2016 Punjas Oceania Tennis Championships. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
The CNMI is competing in the 2016 Punjas Oceania Tennis Championships for the first time with Carol Lee and Isabel Heras representing the Commonwealth in the tournament being held in Suva, Fiji.
The regional contest started yesterday with the team event and the two-player Commonwealth squad is in Group B along with the second-ranked Fiji Team 1, fourth-seeded Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Lee and Heras were scheduled to challenge the Solomon Islands bets in the first game in pool play yesterday at the Victoria Courts Tennis Club, but results of their matches were unavailable at press time.
“I wish Carol and Isabel well in the tournament. It’s another great exposure to them and I am sure they will be facing a lot of tough competition in Fiji,” CNMI coach Jeff Race said in a telephone interview with Saipan Tribune.
Lee and Heras were also set to meet Fiji Team 1 in the afternoon match yesterday, while they will duel Vanuatu today at 12pm at the Suva Lawn Tennis Club.
The Top 2 finishers in the two pools will advance to the semis, while the bottom two will fight for the No. 5 to 8 slots in the consolation games. Group A has the No. 1 Australia, No. 3 New Caledonia, Samoa, and Fiji Team White.
“It’s great timing that the Oceania Tennis Championships is held before Carol and Isabel go to New Caledonia for the ITF Juniors ranking event,” Race added.
After the competition in New Caledonia, Heras and Lee will return to Fiji for two more ITF Juniors ranking tournaments (Grades 4 and 5). Lee is also expected to make it to the main draw of the Oceania Closed Junior Championships and earn more ranking points.
The 14-year-old Lee is currently ranked at No. 621 (singles and doubles combined) in the world, reaching her highest ranking at No. 610 (May 23, 2016) after making it to the quarterfinals of the singles events in the Saipan-hosted 2016 IT&E Northern Marianas Juniors Championships.
