Twin wins for Schorr

Robbie Schorr makes a backhand return to Sean Lee during their boys U16 singles semis game in the 2018 PIC Tennis Championships last Saturday at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan hard courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Pacific Oceania Junior Davis Cup Team member Robbie Schorr had a double celebration last weekend after winning a pair of titles in the 2018 PIC Tennis Championships.

Schorr, who suited up for the region’s elite squad and competed in the 2018 Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Qualifying Finals in Malaysia last month, first bagged the boys U16 singles crown in the Pacific Islands Club Saipan-sponsored event after beating perennial rival Ken Song in the finals, 6-2, 6-4.

The 16-year-old Schorr moved into last Sunday’s championship game at the PIC hard courts following a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Sean Lee, who made it to the semis after ousting Eugene Park, 6-2, 6-1.

Song, on the other hand, labored a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ji Min Woo to arrange another title showdown against Schorr. The eventual runner-up also came from a hard-earned 4-6, 6-1, 10-7 win against Seung Jin Paik to set up a semis duel against Woo, a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Daniel Heo.

After his title conquest in the singles play, Schorr returned to the PIC courts a few hours later and teamed up with CNMI Junior National Team coach Jeff Race in downing the father-and-son tandem of Dong Min and Sean Lee in the men’s open doubles finals, 6-2, 6-0.

Meanwhile, in other results in the boys singles competition, David Kwon and Paik ruled the U12 and U14 divisions, respectively.

Paik clinched the boys U14 singles title after sweeping Daniel Kang in the finals last Sunday, 6-0, 6-4. It was Paik’s third straight runner-up finish for the 2017-2018 season, while Paik got his second singles crown in the age group after prevailing in the 2017 TanHoldings Tennis Classic last November.

The two-time champion marched into the finals as he outclassed Isaac Heo and Richard Steele in the upper half of the draw in similar scores, 6-0, 6-2, and shut down Danny Lee, 6-0, 6-0. Paik’s victory over Steele in the quarterfinals foiled the latter’s bid for a third consecutive title in the division. Steele topped the 2018 White Coconut Tennis Classic in February and the 2018 CNMI Junior Tennis Championships last month.

Heo joined Paik to the Final Four after topping Jae Hoon Son, 6-2, 6-4, and Eubin Park, 6-1, 6-1. Park faced Heo in the Round of 8 following his 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Brandon Lee.

Kang, at the lower half of the draw, eliminated Anthony Gregoire, 6-1, 7-5, and Andy Kim, 6-1, 6-4, to barge into the finals. Gregoire set up a meeting with Kang after 6-1, 6-1 win over Seung Won Lee, while Andy Kim made it to the semis following his 6-1, 6-3 victory against Hyunmin Cho, who defeated Joey Hong in the opening round, 6-0, 6-0.

In the boys U12 singles, Kwon lorded it over in the 11-player field, securing the division title after trouncing Juncheol Hwang in the finals, 6-2, 6-0. Kwon did not drop a single set en route to winning the competition in his group, as he earlier swept Danny Jeong, 6-2, 6-0, and Nason Wessel, 6-0, 6-0. Wessel marched into the semis after prevailing against Bang Jun Gyewong, 6-0, 6-1, while Jeong earned a quarterfinals berth following his 6-2, 6-3 win over Jun Yu at the top half of the draw.

At the bottom half, Hwang, before bowing to Kwon, also booted out his opponents after only two sets. He blanked Kojiro Kaga, 6-0, 6-0, and then downed Lahunn Lam, 6-1, 6-4. Kaga won over Andy Lee, 6-2, 6-1, to move into the quarterfinals, while Lam slipped past Ruma Lee, 6-1, 2-6, 11-9, to notch a semis slot.