Second round exit for Heo in qualifying draw

Ji Hoon Heo managed to enter the second round of the 2008 Lee Duk Hee Cup Korea International Junior Championships but lost to a Korean foe ranked 1,164 in the world junior rankings.

Heo played twice on April 14 when he met Sangmin Park, who is ranked fifth in the tournament. Heo suffered a 0-6, 1-6 loss to Park for an early second round exit in the Grade III International Tennis Federation tournament, which was held at the Jangchoong Tennis Courts in Jangchoong, Seoul, Korea.

Despite the loss, Heo had some consolation when he defeated Korea’s 40th ranked junior netter Ji Sup Kim, 6-0, 6-3 in his first round match. He said he played right away after his win over Kim.

“I felt fine in the first round because [the weather] was hot [but in] the second round [it] was about 4:30pm and it was really cold at that time,” said Heo in an email at the Saipan Tribune.

Heo added he is now used to his new racquet. “My racquet feels fine and I’m pretty much used to it now.”

While in Seoul, Heo had a chance to practice at the International Tennis Academy, which is considered one of the Top 3 tennis academies in Korea.

He is expected to be back today to resume his studies at Marianas High School. “I [still] have school and I don’t think I want to skip anymore classes.”

Heo said that he is hoping to play at his best when he competes in several ITF Grade tournaments in New Caledonia and two more ITF-organized events in Lautoka, Fiji this summer.

Heo aims to join more ITF tournaments this year to earn needed ITF points to barge into the world junior rankings. He also played in the 2008 Jeju International Junior Championships at the Yeonjeong Tennis Courts in Jeju City but did not adjust quickly with the below 15 degree weather at Korea’s southernmost island.

Heo left Saipan on April 3, barely four days after beating Peter Loyola in the finals to successfully defend his title in the 8th Annual Pacific Islands Club-Gatorade Tennis Tournament, and played the following day.

Heo suffered a 3-6, 3-6 loss to Gil Bo Bae, in the first round citing weather and the use of his new racquet as the reasons for his sub-par performance.

Most of the players that saw action were Koreans but the two tournaments also attracted top junior netters from Russia, China, Taiwan, and Japan.