Previous Story
Race, Wang clinch doubles crown
|
Posted on Feb 20 2020
From left, champions Jeff Race and Hoo Wang, runners-up Jimin Woo and Seo Hee Lee, and third placers Wataru Kadokura and Brian Wessel pose with their trophies during the awards ceremony for the 2020 White Coconut Tennis Classic last Monday at the American Memorial Park tennis courts. (Contributed Photo)
Jeff Race and Hoo Wang were put to a test in the finale of the mixed doubles event of the 2020 White Coconut Tennis Classic and passed after surviving their opponents in an extended championship match
The long-time CNMI National Team coach and junior player outlasted Jimin Woo and Seo Hee Lee in the title showdown between the Top 2 seeded pairs, 6-3, 6-7, 10-7, last Monday at the American Memorial Park tennis courts. The finals match was the only three-set super-tiebreaker game that Race and Wang played in the event.
The eventual champions, who also teamed up in the same tournament last year, but got an early boot, won their first match at the upper half of the draw after ousting Irin Chung and Jinhui Jeong, 6-2, 6-0. Another straight set victory, this time against Jun Wang and Yebin Shin, 6-0, 6-4, moved Race and Hoo Wang to the quarterfinals.
In the Round of 8, Hoo Wang and Race were still in top form as they defeated No. 6 seed Nason Wessel and Ken Imaya, 6-1, 6-2, to inch closer to the finals. The No. 1 seed pair reached the title game after bagging its fourth consecutive straight set win, as the duo downed No. 3 seed June Yu and Ji Hwan Ryu, 6-4, 6-2.
Race and Wang’s finals foe moved into the championship game after also beating No. 5 seed Wataru Kadokura and Brian Wessel in two sets, 6-3, 6-4. Earlier in their quarterfinal game, the No. 2 seed Woo and Lee eked out a 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 victory over No. 8 Sam Culp and Juncheol Hwang to march into the semifinals. Lee and Woo also needed more time to eliminate Hannah Chae and Lydia Tan in their second round game, 4-6, 7-5, 10-7, while the eventual runners-up’s first match against the unranked Danny Jeoung and Sarka Jambor resulted in a straight set victory, 6-3, 6-0.
Meanwhile, Brian Wessel ruled the men’s over 40 singles event, while Eun Been Hwang topped the girls U10 singles contest.
Hwang went 2-0 in the round-robin event, beating Eliza Culp, 6-2, and Anne Lee, 6-3. Lee finished second after outclassing Culp, 6-2.
Wessel also earned a 2-0 mark to clinch the men’s over 40 singles crown. He first prevailed over Wan Sub Lee, 6-1, 6-0, and completed the perfect record after a 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Gary Ramsey.
Girls U10 champion Eun Been Hwang, right, is joined in the awards ceremony for the 2020 White Coconut Tennis Classic by third placer Eliza Culp, left, and runner-up Anne Lee last Monday at the American Memorial Park tennis courts. (Contributed Photo)
