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Major year for Minor
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Posted on Dec 31 2008
For the second straight year, Thea Minor’s exploits on the tennis courts were worth mentioning.
In 2007, Minor, along with fellow CNMI junior tennis player Ji Hoon Heo, graced Saipan Tribune’s top stories after conquering local tournaments and holding her ground against Pacific/Oceania netters in Fiji and in New Zealand.
In 2008, a much improved and much stronger Minor ruled local tennis tournaments, anew playing against much older foes.
Off-island, Minor added New Caledonia in her journey for international exposures beside the usual trip to Fiji and New Zealand.
After a semis finish in the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji in 2007, Minor placed third in the girls’ 14-and-under division of the same event in 2008.
From Fiji, he went to New Caledonia, trained against some of the best junior players in the French colony and won a couple of games there.
Her impressive showings in Fiji and acquired skills in New Caledonia allowed her to earn a spot for the New Zealand-bound ITF Pacific Touring Team, again.
In her return trip to New Zealand, Minor did not left any of the three tournaments empty-handed.
She won a doubles event and placed second in a singles and another doubles event in Waikato. The 13-year-old netter hopped on the bus headed to Poverty Bay where she got her fourth medal (a silver in the girls’ 14-and-under singles).
Minor ended her successful New Zealand trip in Auckland and saved the best for last winning her third gold medal (doubles) and another silver (singles).
The tournament in Auckland was the hardest with Minor and teammates Rafael Jones and Christian Miller having to travel eight hours and play after only a few minutes of rest. Still, exhausted and excited to return home, Minor maintained her focus to surpass her achievement in her New Zealand debut.
Minor won only two medals in 2007, six in 2008, and is looking for more in 2009.
