Lee teams up with PNG netter to win doubles match

The CNMI’s Anne Lee, center, gets her certificate of participation in the three-day training camp before the 2023 Australian Teams Championships at the KDV Tennis facility in Gold Coast, Australia.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The CNMI’s Anne Lee so far salvaged a doubles victory in the 2023 Australian Teams Championships at the KDV Tennis facility in Gold Coast, Australia.

The 12-year-old Saipan International School student teamed up with Colita Hakena of Papua New Guinea to beat Tasmania’s Paige Jacobson and Imogen Ransley, 6-3, 6-4, last Saturday in group B of the 13U girls for the Mary Hawton Trophy.

Prior to that, Lee lost her only singles match so far when she succumbed to New Zealand’s Una Misic, 6-0, 6-0, last Friday.

On the same day, Lee teamed up with Mia Chang Yuk Shan of Tahiti and lost to Misic and fellow Kiwi Dorea Morina, 2-6, 0-6

Last Sunday, Lee and Shan dropped a 3-6, 2-6 match against Northern Territory’s Grace Harris and Christina Prete.

Asked about her performance in the 2023 Australian Teams Championships, Lee said she’s been learning a lot.

“I only have a few matches, but it’s been going great. My dad’s advice helped me a lot during the games,” she said

Before Lee’s series of singles and doubles matches, the younger sister of All-American Carol Lee took part in a three-day training camp where over 100 junior players across Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania took part. 

The CNMI’s Anne Lee, third row fourth from left, poses with fellow participants of the three-day training camp before the 2023 Australian Teams Championships at the KDV Tennis facility in Gold Coast, Australia.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Lee said the training camp was good and said she’s got a lot of support from her fellow campmates.

“They are great, they have been supporting me a lot and we have been doing good,” she said.

Outside of the training camp and tournament, Lee said she’s enjoying the fauna of the Land Down Under.

“It’s great, they have a lot of interesting animals and birds.”

Lee was invited to the 2023 Australian Teams Championships through the International Tennis Federation’s Grand Slam Player Development Programme in collaboration with the Oceania Tennis Federation.

Meanwhile, in a report from tennis.com.au, tournament director Francis Soyer said the Australian Teams Championships provides an important opportunity for juniors.

“National tournaments like these give Australian junior tennis players the best opportunity to compete at the highest level, alongside their peers and teammates,” Soyer said.

In addition, junior players from Pacific Oceania are able to compete at the competition as part of a partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Pacific AusSports program to support women and girls in tennis in the Pacific.

The players and three coaches from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu benefitted from the 10-day mentoring program, where they were able to gain invaluable experience to take back to their home environments.

“The Pacific AusSports partnership is really vital in providing women in sport from the Oceania and Pacific region to gain valuable experience and mentoring through the program and for Tennis Australia to connect and support some of our neighboring countries, coaches, and athletes,” Vicki Reid, Tennis Australia director of Government, Social Impact and Stakeholder Relations added.

The Australian Teams Championships  is one of four Australian Junior Championship events held annually, which take place on each of the Grand Slam surfaces—clay, grass and hard court.