By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

(First of a series)

MELODY Johnson played in her last local tournament yesterday in the 2007 DFS Micronesian Tennis Championships and showed the same form that earned her a couple of junior tennis honors.
Johnson topped the girls’ 13-and-under singles division after downing Michaela Grandinetti in the finals in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, to exit the local tennis scene with a bang.
Johnson and her family are moving to the mainland next month after the North Pacific Qualifying tournament where Johnson will be playing.
The 12-year old Johnson is a member of the NMI junior team that will battle netters from Guam, FSM and Palau in the NPQ, which Saipan will be hosting from June 15 to 18.
Grandinetti and Johnson set their title duel after defeating Jennifer Uy and Theecel Minor, respectively, in the semifinals.
Grandinetti, who won her first match against Neghar Rastguiy, prevailed over Uy in the semis in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
Johnson, who stropped Jodel Fernandez in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-2, gained the second finals berth after pulling off a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Minor.
Other top winners in the kids’ singles were Joe Motto, Jr., Emily Jones and Michael Grandinetti.
Motto secured the boys’ 13-and-under title after winning over Christian Miller in three sets.
Motto took the opening set, 6-1, but failed to sweep the finals, as Miller recovered in the second set with a 6-3 triumph. The third set was a tough match with Motto prevailing, 6-4.
Miller came from a grueling semis win over Rafael Jones last Saturday with the latter pulling off a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 victory to set a finals match against Motto.
Motto had an easier time in the semifinals beating Clay McCullough-Stearns, 6-0, 6-1.
Ten battled for the boys’ 13-and-under title with Ryan Baron, Lucas and Nathan Nutting and Jake Lee making the quarterfinals before losing in the semis.
The boys’ 9-and-under division had the most participants with 14.
Michael Grandinetti was the last one left standing after downing Quintin Ramsey in the finals, 7-5.
Grandinetti blanked Tommy Choi in the semis, 6-0, to set a title match with Quintin, who notched a 6-4 triumph over Chris Cajigan.
Cajigan advanced to the quarterfinals after shutting out Jordan Butcher, 6-0, while Quintin prevailed over brother Colin, 6-3.
Choi won via a walkover against Maxi Braig to enter the quarterfinal round, while Grandinetti blanked Raj Ramnani, 6-0.
Emily Jones won the girls’ 9-and-under division, which had a round robin format.
Jones swept all her matches beating Isabel Heras, 6-0, and Elizabeth Atalig, 6-2.
The boys’ 18-and-under division winner has yet to be decided. It also had a round robin format with Russell Buenaventura and Benjie Decena having one win apiece. Buenaventura and Decena both defeated James Camacho.
The adults’ doubles events were also played over the weekend at the PIC hardcourt and at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.
The complete results in the doubles events will be posted in the Tuesday edition of the Variety.