SEVERAL NMI tennis players are moving forward in the 2022 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Lautoka, Fiji.
In the U14 group, Irin Chung is on the frontline. “Our kids have been playing better as the tournament goes on,” said NMI Coach Jeff Race.
In Group C of the U14 Girls Singles Division, Chung beat Guam’s Leila Mercado in a three-set battle, 6-3, 4-6, 10-12 on Sunday. Chung then took down Ashanti Ligo of Vanuatu, 6-3, 7-5, the next day. On Tuesday, Chung bagged her third consecutive win by outplaying Dora Moors of Samoa, 6-2, 7-5.
Chung advanced to the semifinals on Wednesday after outscoring fellow NMI player Hannah Chae, 6-2, 6-1.
Chung will face Raetea Rongo of the Cook Islands on Thursday for a spot in the finals.
NMI’s Hoo Wang also made an appearance in the quarterfinals but she lost to Raetea Rongo, 2-6, 6-2, 3-10.
But Wang is still in the game as she and Pauline Hyun of Papua New Guinea advanced to the semifinals of the U14 Girls Doubles after dominating Margaret Agi of Solomon Islands and Sina Izumi of Fiji, 6-1, 6-0.
In the U14 Boys Singles, the NMI’s La Hunn Lam was trounced in the quarterfinals by Keanu Lei Foc of French Polynesia, 1-6, 1-6.
NMI’s June Yu also suffered the same fate as he lost to Hiva Kelly of French Polynesia, 1-6, 3-6.
But four NMI players have advanced to the semifinals of the U14 Boys Doubles event.
Nason Wessel and June Yu beat Fiji’s Bing Low and Deevanch Singh, 7-6(9), 6-2, while Seung Woo Choi and La Hunn Lam outlasted John Taufunu of the Solomon Islands and Alessandro Traverso of Vanuatu, 4-6, 6-4, 11-9.
In the U16 Girls Singles, the NMI’s Serin Chung reached the quarterfinals but fell to Tavero Chung of French Polynesia, 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.
In the U16 Boys Singles, the NMI’s Min Soo Kwon advanced to the semifinals after routing Titus Paul of Samoa, 6-0, 6-0.
June Yu attempts the forehand return during a tennis match at American Memorial Park.
Nason Wessel reaches for the return during a tennis match at American Memorial Park last year.