9 top rankings in jr. tennis

Sean Lee, seen here serving against Rintaro Miyawaki in their boys U14 singles game in last month’s TanHoldings Tennis Classic, is among the leaders in the CNMI junior tennis rankings. (Contributed Photo)

Daniel Kang and eight other junior players topped the rankings in their respective age groups after receiving points from the 2016 TanHoldings Tennis Classic.

Kang gained the most points from Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association’s first tournament for the 2016-2017 season after earning 1,250 ranking points. He got 1,000 from his title win in the boys U12 singles and 250 for his runner-up finish in the doubles. Kang leads Richard Steele (950), Anthony Gregoire (850), Seung Woon Lee (500), and Andy Kim (400) in the rankings, which also includes nine other players.

In the girls U12, Anika Camacho is ahead of J.C. Ferrer (750) and Helen Kim (600) after tallying 1,000 points for ruling the singles event in the TanHoldings tournament in the said age group.

For the U10 division, Jae Yun Jung and Kim have 1,000 rankings points each to enjoy the top spot. Lahunn Lam (750) is at second place in the boys division and is followed by Danny Jeong (600), Nason Wessel (500), and Sam Cope (400). Seo Hee Lee is ranked second in the girls with her 750, while Chae Eun Kim and Hoo Wang are in third and fourth with 600 and 500 points, respectively.

In the girls U18, the Top 3 is made up of Isabel Heras (1,000), Tania Tan (750), and Malika Miyawaki (600). Miyawaki also played in the girls U16 and her 250 in the doubles tied Conatsu Kaga in first place in the age group. Tan and Coume Kaga have 200 apiece for their runner-up finish in the girls U16 doubles.

Conatsu is on top, too of the girls U14 rankings after earning 1,000 points for beating her sister Conatsu (750). Maria Gregoire (600) and Riko Ojima (500) rounded out the division.

In the boys U14, Sean Lee leads seven others after collecting 1,000 ranking points. Ji Min Woo is in second place with his 750, while Seung Jin Paik is ranked third after recording 600. Others on the leaderboard are Sam Ryu (500), Chris Kim (400), Daniel Heo (300), Jeong Won Lee (200), and Rintaro MIyawaki (200).

In the boys U16, Michael Ren’s 1,000 gave him the No. 1 spot, ahead of Ken Song (750), Vincent Tudela (600), Sean Lee (500), Allan Lee (400), Woo (300), Andy Cho (250), and Jeffrey Seo (200). Robbier Schorr, the CNMI’s No. 1 player in the U14 age group and a favorite in the U16 division, missed the TanHoldings Classic as he had a tournament in Australia.

Schorr and all the CNMI’s junior players will have another chance to gain ranking points next month as NMITA holds the 2017 Coconut Tennis Classic. Then in March, more ranking points will be at stake in the PIC Tennis Championships, while NMITA’s last ranking event will be the CNMI Junior Championships in April.

Rankings are one of NMITA’s basis in selecting members of the CNMI Junior National Team that competes in off-island tournaments every year.