Saipan and Guam will relive their rivalry this weekend through the Inaugural Tan Holdings Tennis Classic.
Around 40 players from Guam, the biggest number of participants so far to grace a tournament on Saipan, will be competing in the two-weekend tournament that will be played in four different courts. One of them is Torgun Smith, who along with teammate and Guam coach Lency Tenai ruled the 9th Annual PIC/Gatorade Tennis Championships in April this year. Other Guam players competing in the inaugural netfest are those from Joe Cepeda and the Lai brothers' (David, Sam, and Peter) groups.
Saipan is expected to be led by former NCAA Division I tennis player Kirk Schuler, CNMI coach Jeff Race, Pacific Oceania juniors No. 1 player Ji Hoon Heo, and other top junior players of the Commonwealth.
The visitors will collide with Saipan bets in the junior short court singles and doubles and adults singles, which are all scheduled in the first weekend of the tournament or from Nov. 20 to 22. The second weekend will feature junior long court singles and doubles and adult doubles events from Nov. 25 to 29.
Schuler, who is the tournament director, said he is very excited to be part of this big event.
“The Tan Holdings Tennis Classic promises to be one of the biggest tennis tournaments in recent years, and will attract the area's youngest, oldest, and best tennis players. Thus, the competition will be fierce, but the environment will be friendly. Furthermore, because this tournament will attract more off-island competitors, this tournament will have a much greater level of competition-a level 10 on a scale of one to 10-than tournaments in the past,” Schuler said.
“The Tan Holdings Tennis Classic will be very different from past Saipan tennis tournaments in many respects. The primary goal of the THTC is to provide a friendly and fun tennis environment for as many players and fans as possible. As a result, the tournament has involved more sponsors, invited more players (off-island players especially), and secured more tennis courts to meet this goal,” he added.
Games in the two weekend tournament will be played simultaneously on the Pacific Islands Club, Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, Hyatt Regency Saipan, and American Memorial Park tennis courts.
“There are a couple of adult players from Guam competing in the first weekend, but there will be around 30 from Guam competing in the second weekend,” Schuler said.
“We have about 60 entrants thus far for the first weekend, but I expect to receive more today (yesterday's late entries). The first weekend showcases the area's future tennis stars in short court 10-and-under division events, along with the area's current tennis stars in adults skill level events,” Schuler added.
Besides the girls and boys' 10-and-under singles, there will also be a co-ed 10-and-under competition in the first weekend. The adults singles is divided into four levels, namely Level 2.0. (beginners), 3.0, 4.0, and open (advanced). Players in the 40-and-above age group will also have a separate competition this weekend.
This year's Tan Holdings netfest is supported by Quality Distributors, Take Care, Mobil, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Aon Insurance, Shirley's Coffee Shop, Continental Airlines, IT&E, Hertz, First Hawaiian Bank, Deloitte, Pacific Trading, Inc., AMS Typhoon Shutters, and NTT Docomo Pacific.
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