Carol, Pacific Oceania promoted to Group I

The CNMI’s Carol Lee, left, poses with her Pacific Oceania teammates after dominating the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup at the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The CNMI’s Carol Lee and her Pacific Oceania teammates went undefeated in their 2023 Billie Jean King Cup competition at the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and gained promotion to Group I in 2024.

Pacific Oceania, the Pool A topnotcher, capped their 5-0 brilliance in the six-day tournament after subduing Pool B winner Indonesia, 2-0, last Saturday.

Papua New Guinea’s Violet Apisah again got the Islanders to a rip-roaring start after beating the No. 2 player of Indonesia, Deria Nur Haliza, 6-2, 6-2.

Lee, the head of the spear of Pacific Oceania, then wrapped up the tie following his 7-5, 6-1 victory over Indonesia’s No. 1 Beatrice Gumulya. The doubles match wasn’t played anymore.

Chinese-Taipei was the other team promoted to Group I after it turned back New Zealand, 2-1.

The day before on Friday, Pacific Oceania topped Group A after sweeping Pakistan, 3-0.

Apisah got right to work and defeated Ushna Suhail, 6-0, 6-1, before Lee got the better of Sarah Ibrahim Khan, 6-1, 6-1. In the doubles, Apisah teamed up with her aunt, Abigail Tere-Apisah, to clinch the tie with a masterful 6-0, 6-0 shutout of Meheq Khokhar and Amna Ali Qayum.

On Thursday, Pacific Oceania also dominated Guam, 3-0. Another Apisah, Violet’s cousin Patricia this time, finally made her debut and beat Sydney Packbier, 6-4, 6-2. Lee then defeated Guam’s No. 1 Freemont Gibson, 6-1, 6-0. Violet Apisah teamed up with Lee and swept Packbier and Michelle Pang, 6-0, 6-0.

Prior to their Pool A finals against Pakistan, Lee told Saipan Tribune that all the pieces seem to be falling right into place for Pacific Oceania in their participation in the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup.

“We have been going strong in our pool. So far we have won all of our matches except for one doubles against Chinese-Taipei. We are supporting one another and our team effort has been leading us to many victories,” she said.

Lee also said Violet has been a terrific teammate in Malaysia as “it’s been fun playing with her in doubles. She is a solid player.”

She also thanked Pacific Oceania captain William O’Connell of Fiji for deftly steering the team to victory after victory in this year’s Billie Jean King Cup.

“I am learning a lot from as he is a great team captain. He knows how to coach me during the match during the changeovers and he is open-minded with us. He seeks any situations positively, communicates with us effectively and he understands things quickly and is able to adapt. We have strong trust in him.”

As for Malaysia, Lee said the Southeast Asian country “is hot and humid but overall it’s a nice place. The food is good!”

Aside from Lee and Violet, Patricia, and Abigail Apisah, also making up the Pacific Oceania is Fiji’s Saoirse Breen.