Song, Schorr sweep foes

Ken Song, seen here competing in a local tournament, teamed up with Robbie Schorr in powering the CNMI to a 3-0 win over the Fiji Development Team yesterday in the Pacific Nations Cup 2019 at the ITF Regional Tennis Centre in Lautoka, Fiji. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI’s Robbie Schorr and Ken Song had a rousing start in the Pacific Nations Cup 2019 after shutting down the Fiji Development Team, 3-0, yesterday at the ITF Regional Tennis Centre in Lautoka, Fiji.

Song kicked off the Commonwealth’s bid in the team event and he eased past Shantanu Shail in their singles match in Group C, 6-1, 6-1. Schorr also took only two sets to down Storm Cornish, 6-1, 6-2, in the other singles game.

The singles sweep assured the CNMI pair the early victory in the pool play, but that did not prevent Schorr and Song from blanking Fiji. They returned to the court to play in the doubles and dominated Shail and Avikash Kumar, 6-1, 6-1.

With their 3-0 record yesterday, Schorr and Song gave the CNMI the early lead in Group C, which also has Samoa and Kiribati. The Commonwealth bets are ahead of Samoa, which eked out a 2-1 triumph over Kiribati yesterday.

Kristen Pavit downed Bauro Lambourne, 6-3, 6-0, and Marvin So’Onalole topped Tito Bira, 6-2, 6-2, to hand Samoa the outright victory in the pairing. Kiribati averted a Samoa sweep after Bira and Kourabi Banjamin outclassed Pavit and Philip Warren in the lone doubles game, 6-1, 7-5.

Samoa and the CNMI would not cross paths until tomorrow, while the latter will play its second game today against Kiribati. The singles pairings have yet to be posted on the tournament website, but another victory will move Schorr and Song to the playoff round of the 14-team field. Only the Top 2 teams from the four groups will advance to the playoffs after the pool play.

In Group A, Tuvalu crushed the Federated States of Micronesia. Laumalo Lalau and Maka Ofati won over Midion and Dion Neth, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and 6-0, 6-2, respectively. The Tuvalu pair completed the sweep against the Neths with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph in the doubles game. Tahiti is also in the pool and will take on FSM today.

In Group B, American Samoa prevailed in the opener against Vanuatu, 2-1. Jumma Luceno and Larry Magalasan handed American Samoa the deciding win after they thwarted Noah Molbaleh and Zachary Sands, 6-3, 6-3. Magalasan also downed Sands in the second singles game, 6-3, 6-2, to keep American Samoa in contention. Molbaleh earlier slipped past Luceno, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, to put Vanuatu on top. Vanuatu will try to recover from the opening day loss when it faces the Cook Islands this morning.

In Group D, the Norfolk Island coasted past Nauru, 3-0, while Fiji Men routed the Solomon Islands in similar scores. Sam Cribb and Arki Nobbs handed the Norfolk Islands the sweep versus Nauru’s Robert Bubert and Dallas Addi. Fiji, on the other hand, leaned on Sebastian Tikaram, William O’Connell, and Raynai Singh to wallop Junior Miki and Bobbie Leong.