Conatsu pulling through in Fiji

Conatsu Kaga, seated left, poses with other members of the Pacific Oceania Touring Team that competed in two tournaments in Australia last month. (Contributed Photo)

When Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association holds the 2017 White Coconut Tennis Classic this weekend, the annual competition will be without its five key junior players.

Conatsu Kaga is among the five as she, her sister Coume, Ji Min Woo, Seung Jin Paik, and Carol Lee are in Fiji training at the ITF/OTF Pacific Oceania Regional Training Center in Lautoka. The Kaga siblings, Paik, and Woo will be staying in the training center until late October, while Lee will be there until only May as she is scheduled to return to Saipan and travel to Guam for ITF Juniors tournaments.

“Training in Fiji can be so hard, but at the same time it’s really fun. It’s a bit harder than Saipan training because we do physical workouts almost every day,” said Conatsu in a message sent to Saipan Tribune last weekend.

Conatsu and company received a training scholarship late last year from ITF/OTF at one of the two centers that offer excellent tennis facilities, coaching, competition, and schooling. The other training center is located in Morocco.

“I am learning a lot of new things every day. The training here is more strict. In the first week, I started to feel pain in my shoulder so I couldn’t hit any overheads. My shoulder eventually got better,” said Conatsu, who arrived in Fiji late last month after she, Coume, Woo, and Paik completed two tournaments in Australia and watched preliminary matches in the Australian Open. The group will also compete in a couple of tournaments in Fiji and New Caledonia this year.

“In the two tournaments in Australia, I learned how to be more confident about my game. They were good opportunities to improve my skills,” said the 13-year-old player.

Conatsu took the championship in the consolation draw of the girls U14 singles event in the 2017 Margaret Court Cup in Albury, New South Wales. In the 2017 Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships in Wodonga, Victoria, Conatsu made it to the second round of the main draw and quarterfinals of the consolation group. Her sister Coume ruled the consolation draw.

“The tournaments in Australia were very helpful and we had a chance to see professional players,” Conatsu.

Though she appreciates the opportunity to play in Australia and stay in Fiji for a 10-month training, Conatsu can’t hide the fact that she is missing home.

“My family and friends make a big difference in my life. I miss them,” she said.

Meanwhile, this year’s White Coconut Classic will feature games in the boys and girls U10, U12, U14, and U16 singles. The event will also have matches in the men’s and women’s open singles, men’s and women’s over 40 singles, and the highly anticipated mixed-up doubles.