Tsukagoshi leads the way for NMI

Lina Tsukagoshi in action in the 2022 Pacific Oceania Juniors Championship at the Regional Tennis Center in Lautoka, Fiji. (ITF)

Lina Tsukagoshi, the only girls 12-and-under tennis player in the NMI delegation, has won three of her four singles matches four days into the 2022 Pacific Oceania Juniors Championship at the Regional Tennis Center in Lautoka, Fiji.

CNMI national tennis coach Jeff Race said that Tsukagoshi “has been doing very well as our only girls 12 player.” 

“Our kids have been playing better as the tournament goes on, especially in the 14s,” added Race about the team.

Irin Chung, Hannah Chae, and Hoo Wang all qualified for the girls 14 quarterfinal, with Chung reaching the semifinals after beating Chae in two sets in the quarterfinals. 

In the girls 14 singles, Anna Kwon won against Alisha Kanegai of Vanuatu, 6-4, 1-6, 10-5, to advance to the semifinals alongside Chung.

Hoo Wang lost to Australia’s Raetea Rongo in three sets imn the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-2, 3-10.

Over in the girls 14 doubles, Chung paired up with Guam’s Leila Mercado and lost to Vanuatu’s Alisha Kanegai and Ashanti Ligo, 6-4, 6-1.

In the boys 14s singles, Nason Wessel won against Bing Low of Australia in three tough sets to advance to the semifinals, 6-4, 6-7, 10-8.

June Yu lost to Tahiti’s Hiva Kelly in two sets in the quarterfinals, 1-6, 3-6.

La Hunn Lam lost as well to Tahiti’s Keanu Lei Foc in two sets in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-1.

In the boys 14 doubles, Lam and Seung Woo “Henry” Choi paired up to defeat Solomon Islands’ John Taufunu and Vanuatu’s Alessandro Traverso, 4-6, 6-4, 11-9.

In the girls 16 singles, Serin Chung qualified for the quarterfinals as well but lost to Tahiti’s Tavero Chung in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-10.

Savita Sikkel won in three sets against Guam’s Amelia Terlaje in the quarterfinals to move on to the semifinals, 6-2, 3-6, 8-10.

In the boys 16, David Kwon reached the semifinals of the doubles event with Guam’s Andy Cajigan. Kwon also won his singles match against Titus Paul of Samoa in an easy two sets, 6-0, 6-0.

As of yesterday morning, the breakdown of the qualifications for the quarterfinals by country, starting with the boys 14 are, Tahiti with three, the NMI with two, and Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Samoa with one apiece. 

For the girls 14’s, it’s the NMI with three and Cook Islands, Tahiti, Guam, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa with one each. 

Today is Day 6 of the tournament. Results of the next matches will be published in tomorrow’s edition of Saipan Tribune.