Saipan now down to around 9 tennis courts

The American Memorial Park tennis courts is just one of only a handful of tennis courts left open on Saipan. Photo shows Seohee Lee and Jimin Woo talk strategy during a tournament in this file photo. (Mark Rabago)

With the start of the CNMI’s travel bubble with South Korea last Saturday, Pacific Islands Club Saipan’s tennis courts in San Antonio became effectively off-limits to local tennis players.
Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association president Jeff Race said the tennis courts at PIC not only serve as a home base for his Aces Tennis Academy but also is where majority of the islands’ junior tennis players train.

This comes at a time when the Commonwealth’s junior players are ramping up training for the North Pacific Regional Championships in Guam in September. Tennis is also one of the nine sports in the calendar of events for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games the Northern Marianas will be hosting for the time ever from June 17 to 25 next year.

“Twenty-two of the 25 or so junior and senior national team players have been using PIC,” said Race in a social media message to Saipan Tribune.

The many time CNMI national coach and CNMI Sports Hall of Famer said from 38 tennis courts, Saipan is now down to just nine or so tennis courts not only for its junior tennis players to train but also for recreational tennis players.

He said after losing the four tennis courts at PIC, the island is down to the four tennis courts at American Memorial Park, two at Hyatt Regency Saipan, and one each at private residents on Navy Hill, Capitol Hill, and Anak’s Homes.

The 28 tennis courts that have been sidelined since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of hotels include the aforementioned four at PIC, include five at Kensington Hotel, five at Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort, two each at Kanoa Resort, Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, Saipan World Resort, and one each at Grandvrio Resort, Civic Center, Japanese retirement, and in Dandan, among others.

Junior player Serin Chung said the loss of the PIC tennis courts is a big blow to the CNMI’s national tennis program.

“It’s really sad that PIC courts are closed because we have to stop taking lessons there for now. A lot of us are working hard for the upcoming tournament in Guam and for the Pacific Mini Games that will be held here. It would be nice to have more courts available at this time so that everyone will be able to practice and improve their game. It is surprising that the number of courts decreased a lot over the years,” she said.

Hyejin Elliot seconded Chung’s assessment, adding that she hopes the powers-that-be open other tennis courts on island to sort of make up for the loss of PIC’s tennis courts.

“For the temporary closing of the tennis courts, it will be hard for the players and coaches to adjust training for the next few months. Because there is only a certain amount of courts, it will be difficult for players to improve, as there are upcoming tournaments. It should be recommended to have more courts available during this time,” she said.

With PIC closed, Savita Sikkel said junior netters like her will just have to make do with the remaining tennis courts on island.

“Now that PIC’s tennis courts are closed, we are no longer able to practice there. With the lack of courts available it is hard for most people to practice. However, with the Pacific Mini Games coming up we should continue to practice whenever we are able to in order to maintain our skills,” she said.

Cody Shimizu said with the PIC tennis courts gone, it only leaves the AMP tennis courts as the only free tennis courts available on Saipan.

“The PIC tennis courts closing was unexpected and it’s sad news that we cannot play anymore due to the tourism bubble. The PIC tennis courts were one of the only available courts here in the island and it’s a shame it’s closed. From 38 tennis courts to nine is kind of tragic since the AMP courts are the only tennis courts that are free to public,” he said.

Race earlier said that the North Pacific Regional Championships in Guam was supposed to be held last month but was moved to September.

“Due to COVID the NPRC was postponed this week until Sept. 13. The postponement is just still part of these COVID-19 times. Lack of flights, quarantines, PCR tests at $300 a pop. Things are still not back to normal. The [Federated States of Micronesia] team had vaccination and travel challenges, as did Palau. We still have to be flexible and patient,” he said.

Race said it was a good move to postpone the North Pacific Regional Championships, as sending CNMI players to the U.S. territory at that time would’ve been fiscally irresponsible.

“We were going to take 16-18, but imagine, with adults that’s $6,000 just for PCR tests before you get to airfare and hotel costs.”