Minor makes semis in Fiji tournament

CNMI junior netter Thea Minor advanced to the semifinals of the consolation draw of the 2011 Air Pacific South Pacific Open Junior Championships at the Dr. Robin Mitchell Regional Tennis Centre in Lautoka, Fiji.

Minor, who dropped her first match in the main draw, losing to the No. 15 seed Hine Elizabeth Wilson of New Zealand, 6-7 (6), 3-6, gained a bye in the Round 2 of the consolation draw. She then won over New Zealand’s Alexandra Howe in three sets last Saturday to march into the semifinals

The Commonwealth netter played poorly in the opening set and lost, 0-4, but redeemed herself in the second set and extended the match with a 4-2 recovery. In the deciding third set, Minor and Howe went back and forth, but the former showed composure in the end to eke out a tiring 10-8 win.

In the semifinals last Sunday, Minor battled Vanuatu’s Lorraine Banimataku and the CNMI netter had another exhausting three-set game. Regular scoring was implemented in the semifinals and Minor drew first blood with a close 7-5 victory. Banimataku regained her bearings in the second set with a commanding 6-1 victory. The third set was another nip-and-tuck affair for Minor and this time she ran out of steam and lost, 8-10.

Banimataku eventually lost gas, when she faltered in the finals against No. 14 seed Brogan Maoate of New Zealand, 3-6, 4-6.

In the boys consolation draw, Minor’s teammate—fellow CNMI netter Rafael Jones—was paired against New Zealand’s Jonathan Wilson and bowed in straight sets, 0-4, 2-4. Jones also dropped his opening match in the main draw over the unseeded Robin Hao Nguy of Hong Kong, 1-6, 0-6.

Great Britain’s Ryan Peniston topped the consolation draw after beating New Zealand’s Olly Sadler, 6-3, 6-1.

In the boys main draw, top seed and Australia’s Jay Andrijic was scheduled to face No. 2 pick and New Zealand’s Cameron Norrie in yesterday’s finals. In the girls singles, it was also a battle between the Top 2 seeds with Hong Kong’s Katherine Ip squaring off against Australia’s Celine Lenertz.

The event in Fiji was under the ITF Junior Circuit and is a Grade 4 tournament that awards 40 Junior ITF ranking points to the champion, 30 to runner-up, 20 to semifinalists, 15 to quarterfinalists, and 10 to losers in the Round of 16.