Michael Leong gets ATP ranking

Pacific Oceania now has a player with a world professional ranking in Michael Leong of the Solomon Islands.

Leong is now ranked No. 1,338 after playing in various tournaments in the ITF Men’s Pro Circuit this year. He started earning ATP ranking points after playing for the Pacific Oceania Davis Cup team in 2008 Asian-Oceania Group II relegation tie with Oman early this year.

From Oman, Leong returned to the Solomon Islands and went to Perth, Australia for two ITF Men’s Futures events. He won matches in the qualifying tournament Down Under, but failed to make the main draw.

Leong’s next stop was Colombia where he also won matches in the qualifying events, but still could not gain entry to the main draw.

Leong finally earned a spot in the main draw of a tournament in Romania. He also made the list in a futures event in Ukraine.

The two tournaments in Eastern Europe still did not give Leong ATP ranking points, as points are only awarded on the ITF Men’s Pro Circuit after one wins a main draw match. To make it to the main draw, one has to gain three qualifying wins.

Leong’s search for ATP ranking points continued in Iran in June. He advanced to the main draw, was pitted against Nigerian Candy Idoko, who was in the Top 1,000 ranking, and finally earned a point after pulling off a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win.

The Solomon Islands netter returned to Eastern Europe in July and competed in Azerbaijan where he won three games to qualify for the main draw. In the main draw, Leong prevailed in two matches, before losing to Russia’s Mikkai Vasiliew, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

Leong earned two more points from tournaments in Georgia and Egypt before heading back home.

After five months of competing in the ITF circuit, Leong now has five ATP points entitling him an automatic entry to the main draw of future tournaments.

With Leong gaining an ATP ranking, Pacific Oceania’s bid to return to the Asia-Oceania Group II got a big boost.

The Islanders dropped to Group III after staying in Group II for three straight years when they lost to Kuwait, 4-1, in the first round and to Oman, 3-2, in the relegation tie this year.

Leong had the best record among the Islanders in the Davis Cup this year with his 2-2 mark in the singles event. He lost his lone match in the doubles.

Juan Sebastian Langton of Samoa had a 1-3 slate in the singles division. Cyril Jacobe of Vanuatu and Brett Baudinett of Cook Islands were also on the team, but lost all their matches.