Top-ranked players deliver

Robbie Schorr returns a shot to Ken Song during their boys U18 singles title match in the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Robbie Schorr and Seung Jin Paik lived up to high expectations after ruling their respective divisions in the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic.

Schorr, the No. 1 seed player in the boys U18 singles, reigned supreme in the six-player field after beating No. 2 Ken Song in their title match, 6-2, 6-3, last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan courts.

A similar straight set victory over Ji Min Woo in the semifinals, 6-2, 6-2, allowed Schorr to advance to the finale. Woo, before bowing to Schorr, dominated Allan Lee, 6-0, 6-2, to make it to the Final Four. Song also needed only two sets to make it to finals, as he eased past Sean Lee at the lower half of the draw, 6-3, 6-1. Sean Lee moved into the semis after eliminating Sam Ryu, 6-1, 6-4.

In the boys U14 singles, Paik prevailed in the title showdown between the Top 2 seeds in the division as he topped Richard Steele, 6-4, 6-0.

The No. 1 seed Paik did not lose a single set on his way to clinching the division championship. He got a bye in the opening round and then defeated Hyun Min Cho, 6-0, 6-0, and Daniel Kang, 6-3, 6-2, to earn the finals berth at the top half of the draw. Cho set up a quarterfinal duel against Paik after posting a 6-1, 6-0 win over Joey Hong, while Kang gained a semis entry following his 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Isaac Heo—a 6-40, 7-6 (5) winner versus Seung Won Lee.

At the bottom half of the draw, Steele also swept his first two opponents to arrange a finals faceoff against Paik. The No. 2 seed won over Danny Lee, 6-1, 6-0, and No. 3 Andy Kim, 6-2, 6-3. Lee came from a 6-4, 2-6, 10-2 victory against Andrew Chung to advance against Steele, while Kim eliminated Eu Bin Park, 6-2, 6-2, for a semis date against Steele. Park, on the other hand, barged into the quarterfinals following a 6-2, 6-0 win versus Jun Wang. Kim, after losing to Steele, played in the battle for third place, and bowed to Kang, 1-8.

Meanwhile, in the boys U18 doubles, Sean Lee and Woo teamed up and were unbeaten in two games to bag the division championship.

The winning duo first shut down Jamin Elliot and Jeffrey Seo last Saturday, 6-0, 6-0, and then outlasted Tony Kim and Song in last Sunday’s deciding match, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 10-4. Kim and Song ended up getting the second place honors as they earlier downed Elliot and Seo, 6-1, 6-1.

In the boys U12 doubles, Anthony Gregoire and David Kwon won over siblings Jacob and Jonny Jackson in an extended finale, 6-4, 2-6, 10-8.