Chung, Sikkel take U14 doubles

Irin Chung and Savita Sikkel won the girls U14 doubles championship after outlasting their opponents in a super tiebreaker as the 2021 Tan Siu Lin Foundation Junior Tennis Tournament concluded last weekend at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

Chung and Sikkel survived the super tiebreaker against Anna Jieun Kwon and Hoo Wang to win their finals match last Saturday in the girls U14 doubles division of the two-weekend tourney.

The winning duo took an easy first set, 6-3 before losing the second, 5-7, leading to the super tiebreaker. Chung and Sikkel came out victorious, defeating their opponents 10-8.

In the girls U18 doubles division, Serin Chung and Hye Jin Elliot eased past their foes, Sei Hong and Yebin Shin, with a 6-0, 6-0 victory during their match last weekend.

Hannah Chae and Jeong Bin Park took a similar route against Stella Choi and Elizabeth Culp in the girls U12 division of the final’s tournament, taking an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory last Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the girls U12 singles division, Lina Tsukagoshi slipped past division No. 1, Hannah Chae, after an intense super tiebreaker.

Tsukagoshi prevailed in the first set, 6-2, but came up short in the second, 4-6. She eventually edged out Chae in the super tiebreaker, 10-7.

The crowned champion entered the finals after nipping Anne Lee in the semifinals, 6-4, 62. Prior to that, she advanced to the semis after getting a bye in the quarterfinals.

The runner-up gained access to the finals after outplaying Jeong Bin Park in the semifinals. Chae lost the first set, 4-6, before evening the playing field in the second set, 6-2. Chae officially took the first seat in the finals after a super tiebreak that she won 10-5. Park, made it to the semis after an easy 6-2, 6-0 victory over Eun Ho Park.

Jeong Bin Park and Lee battled it out for third place with Lee prevailing with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Irin Chung also topped the girls U14 singles division after outlasting Hoo Wang in a super tiebreak.

Chung lost the first set, 2-6, before gaining momentum in the second set, 6-3. She took the win in an intense super tie- breaker, 11-9.

Chung gained the first finals seat after an easy 6-2, 6-3 semis victory against doubles partner Savita Sikkel who prevailed over Anne Lee with a 6-0,6-0 win in the quarter finals.

Hoo Wang dominated the bottom half of the tournament after a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Anna Kwon who eased past Isa Nishitani in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-0.

Sikkel placed third after beating Kwon, 6-4, 6-3.

In the girls U18 singles division, Serin Chung swept all her matches in the round-robin tournament. She edged Hye Jin Elliot, 6-4, 6-3, before moving on to hammer Yebin Shin, 6-0, 6-0. Chung was named champion after defeating Sei Yul Hong, 6-0, 6-0.

Elliot took second place with her only loss to Chung. She defeated Shin, 6-0, 6-0, and moved on to dominate her match against Hong, 6-1, 6-0.

Hong landed third place after winning the match against Shin, 6-2, 6-2.

The 2021 TSL CNMI Junior Tennis Tournament is being conducted with help from the Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association.