Singles, pairs advance to SIS tennis finals

Top seed Jimin Woo, seen here in a file photo, will take on No. 2 Morris Villanueva for the men’s open finals of the 2022 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament today at the American Memorial Park tennis courts. (MARK RABAGO)

Rain didn’t dampen the start of the 2022 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament this weekend at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

While co-coordinators Serin Chung and Jimin Woo were forced to shorten the matches because of several rain delays, the finals in all divisions will be played as scheduled today.

“We ran into some problems because of the rain but we were able to get back on track,” said Chung.

In the men’s open, top seed Woo will take on No. 2 Morris Villanueva. Woo advanced after beating fourth seed Colin Ramsey, 5-3, 4-1, in the semifinals. Villanueva had an easier route to the championship following a 4-0, 4-1 near shutout of David Kwon in their semis affair.

Kwon fared better in his age group as he will play for all the marbles in the boys 16-and-under against Cody Shimizu. Kwon, the No. 1 seed, advanced with a 4-1, 4-5, 10-7 marathon win over Wataru Kadokura. No. 2 seed Shimizu, meanwhile, outlasted June Yu in the bottom half of the draw, 2-4, 5-4, 10-7.

In the boys 14-and-under, the Top 2 seeds will also play each other in the finals after No. 1 Henry Choi defeated Yutaka Kadokura, 4-1, 5-4, and No. 2 Siwoo Lee blanked Henry Yeom, 4-0, 4-0.

Ian Chae upset No. 1 seed Ryan Choi in the boys 12-and-under semis, 6-2, 4-1, despite being only the seventh seed. He will now go up against No. 2 seed Eamon Tang, a 7-6, 6-2 winner over Jihun Park in the semis.

Seiyul Hong had the easiest path to the finals after her walkover win over Olivia Hwang in the girls 16-and-under. The No. 1 seed will challenge No. 3 seed Yebin Shin who surprised second seed Seohee Lee, 6-2, 4-1.

In the girls 14-and-under, No. 1 seed Irin Chung will shoot for a finals win after dispatching Lina Tsukagoshi, 4-2, 4-2. There was also a mild upset in the bottom draw after third seed Hoo Wang got the better of second seed Hannah Chae, 4-2, 4-1.

There was also some shocking results in the mixed doubles 5.0 when unseeded Sam Ryu and Rachel Shin outplayed top seeds Serin Chung and Derek Culp, 4-2, 4-2. Their opponent in the finals will be No. 2 seeds Jessie Kim and David Kwon who fashioned out a 4-2, 4-2 win over Julia Ishikawa and Kuu Nakamura.

Irin Chung and June Yu justified their No. 1 seeding in the mixed doubles 4.0 after reaching the finals with a 5-4, 4-2 win over Sarka Glasjchova and Martin Jambor. They will face unseeded Patrick Vincent Aquino and Jillian Lucero in the championship round after the duo turned back second seeds Wataru Kadokura and Hoo Wang, 1-4, 4-1, 12-10.

In the mixed doubles 3.0, top seeds Yutaka Kadokura and Anne Lee are into the finals after outlasting No. 4 Andrew Chung and Yebin Shin, 1-4, 4-2, 10-2. Taheir Shakir and Lina Tsukagoshi will challenge them after the third seeded team eliminated Richard Sikkel and Thu Tran, 4-2, 4-2.

The two-person women’s open will have its finals today pitting No. 1 seed Hyejin Elliot against No. 2 seed Serin Chung. Ditto for the mixed doubles U18 where top seeds Hyejin Elliot and Cody Shimizu will take on No. 2 seeds Serin Chung and Simon Tang.

The 2022 SIS Student Council Tennis is being held as a fundraiser for Saipan International School’s Student Council and is sanctioned by the Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association.

The sponsors of the event are the following: Mango Six Café, Sura Restaurant, Café 670, All Star Sporting Goods and Boarderline, Joeten Superstore, Plumeria Steakhouse, Java Joe’s, Hyatt Regency Saipan, and Summer Snow Café.

Richard Sikkel, left, and Thu Tran in action against Karen Klossen and Cody Race in the mixed doubles 3.0 of the 2022 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament last Saturday.
(MARK RABAGO)