Top seed Ramsey is men’s open champ

Colin Ramsey in action against Thomas Abel in the championship of the 2023 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament last Sunday at the American Memorial Park. (MARK RABAGO)

Colin Ramsey justified his top ranking in the men’s open by beating Thomas Abel in straight sets to win the championship of the 2023 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament last Sunday at the American Memorial Park. 

The 23-year-old breezed past the second seeded Abel in the opening match, 6-2, but encountered some turbulence in the second where Abel broke his serve.

Ramsey eventually pulled it together and prevailed, 6-4, to add another first place trophy to his already stacked trophy case.

The men’s team gold medalist in the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 advanced to the finals after a 7-5, 6-4 win over rising star David Kwon. 

Abel, for his part, booked his finals ticket following a 6-2, 6-2 victory over youngster June Yu.

Ramsey admitted that he underestimated Abel going into their championship match.

Cody Shimizu in action against Nason Wesse in their men’s 4.0 finals game of the 2023 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament last Sunday at the American Memorial Park. (MARK RABAGO)

“It was a bit rough. I know Thomas is a great player. I also know he isn’t practicing. So I felt like I kind of underestimated him in that regard. But he showed me that he can come out and contend and I can never count anybody out. It was a good match.” 

Ramsey and Abel were observed talking back and forth during the championship match and Ramsey said it’s all part of playing tennis. 

“It’s just two friends talking. He likes to think it’s mind games, but it’s all good fun,” said Ramsey, who dedicated his championship “to the game of tennis.”

Ramsey added that winning the 2023 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament is part of his training for future off-island tournaments.

“Yeah, I’m keeping track of what I’m doing during matches. [My girlfriend] got some notes for me that I’m gonna look over later,” he said.

In other championship matches last Sunday, second seed Cody Shimizu ruled the men’s 4.0 after upsetting top seed Nason Wessel, 6-4, 6-2.

Shimizu advanced after a 6-2, 6-3 win over John Kenneth D. Casauran. He won his first round match against Minseong Kim, 6-0, 6-0.

Wessel, meanwhile, won via walkover against Ian Song in the second round before winning his semifinal match against third seed Yutaka Kadokura, 6-1, 6-3.

In mixed doubles 5.0, Hye Jin Elliot and Sam Ryu topped the compass draw tournament after going 2-0. They first beat Jeff Race and Hoo Wang, 7-5, 4-6, 10-4, before clinching the division with a 6-7, 7-6, 10-4 comeback win over Serin Chung and David Kwon.

In the mixed doubles 3.0, Seiyul Hong and Jack Linden took the crown after surprising top seed Elizabeth and Sam Culp, 6-3, 6-3, in the finals.

Hong and Linden stamped their finals ticket after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Andrew Chung and Stephanie Kim. The Culps, meanwhile, advanced following a hard-earned 1-6, 6-3, 11-9 win over Dev Bachani and Maya Shimizu.

Results of the women’s open and junior divisions will be published in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.
The Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association helped coordinate the 2023 SIS Student Council Tennis Tournament.