Schorr wins boys U18 finals

Robbie Schorr in action against Carol Lee in the boys U18 singles finals of the SIS STUCO Tennis Tournament last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan. (Mark Rabago)

Robbie Schorr can thank the weather for his win in the boys U18 singles in the SIS STUCO Tennis Tournament after he beat one of Oceania’s top female junior netters, Carol Lee, in the finals last Monday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan.

The gold medalist in the XVI Pacific Games in Samoa seemingly benefitted from their game being postponed last Sunday, as when play resumed on Monday, Schorr was a completely different player from the day before against his fellow CNMI national tennis player.

Lee got the better of Schorr in their lone matchup before the SIS tourney, as the Saipan Community School alumnae beat him in the men’s 5.0 singles of the 10th TanHoldings Tennis Classic, 7-5, 7-5, 11-9, last November.

Before Sunday’s match was stopped due to rain, Lee raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set by breaking Schorr twice. Schorr fought back and broke Lee in the fifth game to make it 1-4 before play was eventually suspended.

When the match was resumed the next day, Schorr rallied big time by winning six of the next seven games to take the opening set, 7-6. With momentum obviously on his side, the 17-year-old took the second set and the championship of the boys U18 singles with a 6-4 victory.

“I fought and played hard and got the result,” Schorr told Saipan Tribune when asked for comment on his victory against Lee.

The graduating Saipan International School student admitted the postponement may have played a part in changing the outcome of the finals.

“It made it two parts of a match. So, we both played differently,” he said, adding that he didn’t really change his approach and strategy against Lee in the more than 24-hour lull in the match.

“Nothing, I just played better…” he said.

Schorr’s win in the boys U18 singles was a nice follow up to him getting a partial athletic and academic scholarship from William Woods University last month.

Lee congratulated Schorr for his win and said his teammate in last year’s Pacific Games in Samoa improved a lot since they last played against each other.

“His approach shots and coming in to the net, finishing off from his volley has improved. His high percentage of winning his service games also improved. Congratulations to Robbie, he played really well.”

She also admitted that the postponement may have cost her the championship in the boy’s U18 singles.

“I played well on Sunday and my physical and mental condition was good to go. The match was on Sunday too, which was the rest day for me,” she said.

Lee also thanked SIS student and CNMI junior national tennis player Malika Miyawaki for organizing the SIS tennis tourney.

“I want to give thanks to Malika and the other volunteers for hosting the SIS tournament. Even if the weather conditions were not good, they did a great job managing it and finishing the tournament with happy smiles from everyone,” she said.

In the boys U16 singles, Andy Kim took the championship after outlasting David Kwon in the finals in a super tiebreaker, 6-4, 4-6, 10-3, last Sunday also at the Fiesta Resort tennis courts.

June Yu, meanwhile, won the boys U12 singles with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Wataru Kadukura in another finals matchup postponed by rain at the Fiesta Resort tennis courts.

Yu and Kadokura originally played their finals match last Sunday, but was stopped by rain. At the time of the postponement, Yu was leading the first game of the second set.

In the girls U12 singles, the 1990s pop song “Everybody have fun tonight” might as well have been blaring out at the Fiesta Resort tennis courts as Heo Wang faced Irin Chung in the finals early Sunday morning.

When the dust settled, the Wang-Chung matchup was only fun for Wang as she took home the girls U12 singles championship with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph.

Also, on Sunday, Helen Kim defeated her best friend Serin Chung 7-5, 6-1, also at the Fiesta Resort tennis courts.

The Saipan International School student council organized the SIS STUCO Tennis Tournament. It is being held to fundraise for the school’s many activities, including prom. SIS student and CNMI junior national player Malika Miyawaki is coordinating the entire tournament with the help of CNMI national tennis coach and sports hall of famer Jeff Race.

June Yu in action against Wataru Kadokura in the boys U12 singles finals of the SIS STUCO Tennis Tournament last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan. (Mark Rabago)