CNMI junior players collect Final Four berths

The CNMI Junior Tennis Team’s dominance was in full display in Day 3 of the ITF North Pacific Regional Championships 2015 as 14 members of the squad earned semis tickets in their respective divisions.

CNMI coach Jeff Race, left, gives pointers to Ji Min Woo during a training session last week at the Pacific Islands Club tennis courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

In the girls U14 singles, the Commonwealth swept all four semis berths with Tania Tan finishing Pool A with a perfect 3-0 record after she defeated teammate and fellow semifinalist Asia Raulerson, 6-1, 6-3. Raulerson ended up with a 2-1 mark in Pool A and will be playing against Malika Miyawaki in the semifinals after the latter placed first in Pool B with an unbeaten 3-0 slate. Mimi Sakano completed the CNMI sweep and will be challenging Tan in the other Final Four pairing.

In the boys U14 singles, the Jeff Race-mentored CNMI crew notched three of the four semis slots at stake with the top-ranked Robbie Schorr leading the Final Four cast. Vincent Tudela and Ken Song were the other Commonwealth bets who marched into the semifinals.

Schorr held an immaculate record (3-0) in Pool A and extended his winning run by downing the Federated States of Micronesia’s Sterkis Abraham in the quarterfinals. Scores of the Schorr-Abraham were unavailable, along with other matches in Day 3 as organizers have yet to update the tournament website at press time last night.

Tudela, on the other hand, made it to the semifinals after eliminating FSM’s Andrei Perillo, while Song booted out fellow CNMI player Haruya Eda. Song and Tudela will collide in the semifinals today, while Schorr will be paired against FSM’s William Joab.

In the girls U16 and boys U12 singles, the CNMI got two semis berths each. Isabel Heras topped Pool A of the girls U16 with her 4-0 record to clinch the first semis berth, while Ami Tsukagoshi duplicated that feat in Pool B to move a step closer to setting up an all-CNMI finals in their division.

In the boys U12, Seung Jin Paik was also undefeated in Pool B and prevailed against teammate Rintaro Miyawaki, 6-3, 3-6, 10-8, to advance to the semifinals, joining Ji Min Woo. Woo, who earned a 3-1 record in Pool A, gained a semis berth after knocking out Guam’s Roman Merletti.

In the girls U12 singles, the CNMI nailed three of the four semis berths with sisters Conatsu and Coume Kaga joining Ericka Tuttle to the Final Four. Coume swept Pool B after topping FSM’s Anne Skilling, while Conatsu and Tuttle finished first and second in Pool A.

“Conatsu cried after she gave up one point in the two-set match. Her goal was to win via love against FSM’s Chelsea Panuelo. Conatsu and the rest of our players are giving their best every game. I am proud of our players for giving all they got and bringing honor to the CNMI,” Race said in a telephone interview with Saipan Tribune last night.

“We are in good shape, but we must continue playing hard and keep our focus,” Race added.