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CNMI sweeps FSM in U12 team event
The CNMI Boys 1 got off to a strong start in the U12 team event of the 2017 North Pacific Regional Championships after blanking the Federated States of Micronesia, 3-0, last Monday at the Rick Ninete Tennis Center in Hagatna, Guam.
Anthony Gregoire handed the Commonwealth its first win in the pairing after downing Aniken Young Perman in the singles 2 game, 6-1, 6-2. Daniel Kang then sealed the victory later as he also took only two sets to beat Apis Israel, 6-0, 6-1. The CNMI bets completed the sweep when they dominated Israel and Perman in the lone doubles match, 6-1, 6-1.
In other results, the CNMI Girls 2 nipped Guam, 2-1. Helen Kim won her singles 2 tiff against Jaylie Usita-Lee, 6-0, 6-2, but the Commonwealth team could not secure the early victory when Sydney Packbier defeated Anika Camacho in the singles 1, 6-4, 6-4. Camacho then fought back in the deciding doubles game as she and Kim outclassed Packbier and Usita-Lee, 6-3, 6-1.
Other winners in Day 1 of the U12 team event were Palau Boys, Guam Boys 1, and Palau Girls. Palau Girls edged North Pacific Girls, 2-1, while Palau Boys and Guam Boys 1 swept Guam Boys 2 and CNMI Boys 2, respectively.
Matches in the team event continued yesterday with CNMI Boys 1 and 2 on a collision course and CNMI Girls 1 playing its first game against North Pacific Girls. Jiwoong Kwon and Andrew Chung play for CNMI Boys 2, while CNMI Girls 1 has J.C. Ferrer and Hyejin Elliot. Results of neither pairing were unavailable at the tournament’s website at press time.
Meanwhile, Vincent Tudela, Ken Song, and Michael Ren are still perfect in the boys 16- and-under singles. Ren earned a 2-0 record in Day 1 after beating FSM’s Andy Sipos in their afternoon match, 6-0, 6-1. Song and Tudela duplicated Ren’s unbeaten marks after prevailing over FSM’s Sarkau Weston Luckymiss, 6-1, 6-4, and Sterkis Abraham, 6-2, 6-3, respectively.
Tudela went on to make it three in a row and earned a quarterfinal slot in the division after sweeping Guam’s Kian Malakooti yesterday, 6-1, 6-1. Song also advanced to the playoffs following his 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Guam’s James Hourican.
In the girls 16-and-under singles, Malika Miyawaki and Grace Choi went 2-0 after dominating Guam’s Elizabeth Su, 6-0, 6-0 and Joycelyn Tenai, 6-3, 6-2, respectively.
In the boys 14-and-under singles, both Richard Steele and Sean Lee are unbeaten after two games. Steele won his opening match against FSM’s Kiko Rush Apis last Monday, 6-2, 6-1, and then downed another FSM bet in Nolan Mamuhn yesterday, 6-2, 6-2. Steele was scheduled to play his third game yesterday afternoon in Tamuning, but results of his duel against Guam’s Dakot Gibson were unavailable at press time.
Lee also had his third game yesterday opposite Namuhn, while in an earlier match in Day 2, the CNMI player shut down Apis. The No. 1 seed Lee also needed only two sets to win his opening match over Gibson last Monday, 6-2, 6-0.
