By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Palau’s two most veteran national junior tennis players Odanges Dengokl and Uriik Luii will lead Team Palau to the upcoming North Pacific Tournament (NPT) slated June 9-16 in Saipan, CNMI.
Palau could send a maximum of eight players who will play in the 18 and under and 13 and under (two boys and two girls in each category).
This event is the qualifying tournament for the next level with the top two finishers in each category will go to Fiji for the Oceania Championships.
The countries that are participating in the NPT are Guam, FSM, Saipan, Marshalls and Palau.
Four Palauans played last year including Dengokl, Luii, Maria Gibbons and Ileb Okamura.
Coach Ernestine Rengiil said that aside from these four players, two more players are assured of a slot. They are Elchung Hideyos and Kira Ngirechitei, who will play in the 13-under for girls.
Rengiil said that the team needs players for the boy’s.
"We need to recruit to complete the team," said Rengiil during a get-together among the current crop of junior players last Friday at the Palau Pacific Resort tennis court.
Initially, the players were able to receive donations from Johnson Toribiong, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Gibbons, Wilhelmina Rengiil, Sen. Surangel Whipps Sr. and House Speaker Antonio Bells.
The 15-year old Dengokl will be competing in his fifth year in the NPT beginning in 2003 where he finished seventh in the 14-under, fourth in 2004 and reached the finals in 2005 but settled for second place.
That was enough to qualify him for the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships, which he said was a new experience.
He lost in his first match but made it to the finals in the lower category and went home with championship trophy.
Last year, he settled for sixth place in his first stint in the 18 and under.
Asked of his chances for next month’s NPT, this Rafael Nadal follower said he his improved a bit from his previous games but he needs more practice in order to cope up with the panic.
"I like Rafael Nadal because he does not give up. He likes to sprint for the ball," he said.
For his own game, the sophomore at Mindszenty said he needs to improve his stamina and must run more.
For the 17-year old Urrik Luii of Palau Mission Academy, she hopes to go to the top five in her last tournament in the NPT. She is turning 18 on Nov. 1.
Luii also debuted in the NPT in 2003 placing 12th, 10th in 2004 and 2005 and 4th in 2006 but fell to 8th because he did not show-up.
Asked about her preparation, Luii said she needs concentration on her game.
"This is very important in tennis. It’s not just the physical but you have to think of your opponent on how to strategize," she said.