Lee makes history in POJC

The CNMI’s Carol Lee completed the first hat-trick in the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships after notching the girls U16 singles title last week in Fiji.

The CNMI’s Carol Lee, left, poses with Fiji Tennis Association president Richard Breene after receiving her gold medal in the girls U16 singles event during the awards ceremony for the 2015 Pacific Oceania Juniors Championships last week in Fiji. (Contributed Photo)

“Carol made POJC history by becoming the first junior player to win three age divisions in three years,” CNMI coach Jeff Race said in a message sent to Saipan Tribune from Fiji.

The 13-year old Lee recorded her first victory in the annual tournament in 2013 when she took the girls U12 singles championship. The following year, the then 12-yeard-old Commonwealth player bagged the U14 crown. In those back-to-back wins, Lee was unbeaten in pool plays en route to earning the division titles and this year, she also swept all her singles matches to keep an immaculate record in the POJC.

“I did not expect to win all those three titles because there are a lot of very good players in the POJC,” said Lee, who returned to the island last Saturday, together with the 13 other CNMI players, after being away for about two months.

“The U14 and U16 divisions were the toughest for me because I faced older and more experienced players. I was up to many challenges and difficult games in the last two years and every time I play I get nervous,” the Saipan Community School student added.

Ask how she managed to survive those hurdles, Lee said she just thought of the things she did in training sessions back on Saipan.

“I kept reminding myself to remember how many hours I devoted to practice to get where I am right now. I remember how my coaches told me to react in certain situations. These gave me confidence and helped me regain focus every time I get nervous and face a tough opponent,” said Lee, who showed dominance in the girls U16 division despite dueling players two or three years her senior.

Lee’s stats in this year’s tournament will prove how she stood out in Fiji. She won her three matches in pool play via sweeps, recording 6-0, 6-0 victories in two, and allowed only one point in the other game. In the playoffs, she gave up only two points each to her first two opponents and eliminated them after only two sets to march in to the finals opposite her doubles partner and 15-year-old Palau bet Ayana Rengiil.

The title duel against Rengiil was the acid test for Lee, as the former dropped the opening set before prevailing in the last two to keep her streak and secure the championship. Lee pulled off a 7-6 (4) win in the second set to remain in title contention and capped her impressive run in the tournament with an emphatic 6-0 victory in the deciding third set.

With her recent title conquest and rise in the ITF Juniors rankings, Race believes Lee could go a long away.

“No Pacific Oceania player has ever had such a high ITF rankings (No. 780 from No. 1,498) at such a young age. Carol will have many opportunities in front of her,” the proud CNMI coach added.