Thea falls to Mexican opponent

Thea Minor missed a slot to the third round of the Sunsmart 18 & Under Summer Championships 2012 after losing to her ranked foe in New Zealand yesterday.

Minor bowed to the more experienced Carmen Araceli Cordoba in straight sets, 4-6, 0-6, in the Round of 32 of the girls singles competition at the Ashburton Trust Tennis Centre in Ashburton. The 17-year-old Mexican is seeded sixth in the tournament and competed in 16 Junior ITF events last year compare to Minor’s three. Cordoba is also ranked No. 498 in the world and holds a 20-39 record in singles.

With her win, the Mexican netter foiled Minor’s bid to earn Junior ITF ranking points. Had Minor pulled off an upset over Cordoba, the CNMI bet could have gained 10 ranking points from the Grade 4 tournament.

Minor is aiming to become only the third female junior player from the CNMI to collect Junior ITF points. According to Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association president Jeff Race, Arisa Sakai was the first female junior netter from the Commonwealth to get Junior ITF points, achieving the feat in the ’90s. Former junior player Vivian Lee is also on the list after competing in a tournament in Malaysia six or seven years ago.

The 16-year-old Minor boosted her chances for an ITF junior ranking points this year when she won her first match in the Sunsmart event. The Saipan Southern High School student swept fellow unranked player Brogan Maoate of New Zealand in the opening round, 6-4, 7-5, to advance to the Round of 32.

However, Cordoba, who drew a bye in the first round, stopped Minor’s momentum to set up a third round duel against No. 10 seed Paire Mary Hourigan of New Zealand. Minor, on the other hand, joined fellow Oceania ITF Touring Team players Yaelle Honakoko and Assya Trimari of New Caledonia in the showers.

The visiting group now has only three players left in the tournament. Fiji’s Annie Shannon and Tarani Kamoe marched into the Round of 16 after winning over New Zealand’s Jessica Shaw, 6-1, 6-3, and Trimari, 6-1, 6-2, respectively. Tournament second seed Marcia Tere-Apisah of Papua New Guinea is also in the next round after a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over New Zealand’s Trixie Croad.

Meanwhile, Minor still has two chances to get Junior ITF points, as she will compete in two more tournaments in New Zealand. She is entered in the New Zealand U18 ITF Summer Champs in Auckland, which will start this Sunday and the Tennis Central U18 Junior ITF Tournament in Wellington (Feb. 7 to 11).