NMI netters advance as playoffs start

The playoffs stage started on Day 4 of the North Pacific Regional Championships yesterday at the American Memorial Park and Pacific Islands Club Saipan tennis courts, with multiple NMI netters advancing as they won their matches.

The NMI was on fire just as the Saipan sun was and racked up 23 wins as of press time.

In the boys 16 division, June Yu, Siwoo Lee, Henry Choi, and Nason Wessel dumped their foes in the quarterfinals to advance to the semis today. Lee will face off with Yu and Choi will go up against Wessel.

Yu defeated Guam’s Oliver Schaumann, 6-2, 6-3; Lee made light work of Guam’s John Hoh, 6-1, 6-0; Choi got the better of Federated States of Micronesia’s Dontrick Daniel, 6-1, 6-2; and Wessel muscled his way past Guam’s Leonardo Tamandong, 6-1, 6-2.

In the girls 16 division, the Final Four are NMI’s Irin Chung and Hoo Wang, Guam’s Leila Mercado, and FSM’s Louisa Williams. Chung and Wang will go head-to-head in the semis today, along with Mercado vs. Williams.

Chung clinched the semis spot after a win against the NMI’s Anna Kwon, 6-3, 6-0; Wang discarded Palau’s Sorai Nakamura, 6-1, 6-0; Mercado breezed past FSM’s Aja Skilling; and Williams routed NMI’s Hannah Chae, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

In the girls 14 division, the NMI’s Anne Lee and Lina Tsukagoshi made it to the semis, just as Guam’s Leah San Agustin and Faith Perera punched their tickets too. Lee is facing off against San Agustin, while Tsukagoshi will take on Perera today.

Anne Lee powered past Guam’s Rachel San Agustin, 6-0, 6-1; Tsukagoshi routed Guam’s Emely Rosario, 6-1, 6-0; while Leah San Agustin heavily defeated teammate Lana Noble, 6-0, 6-0, and Perera beat Palau’s Shy Sadang, 6-0, 6-1.

In the boys 14 division, the NMI’s Ryan Choi and Ian Chae made it to the semis, while Guam’s Jacob Hsiao and Jeren Devera did as well. It will be Choi vs. Hsiao and Chae vs. Devera today.

Choi brought down teammate Matthew Hwang, 6-0, 6-1; Chae took on teammate Jihun Park and won, 6-1, 6-4; Hsiao edged teammate Malachi O’Brien, 6-0, 6-1; and Devera defeated FSM’s Prinze Skilling, 6-1, 6-1.

In the boys 12 division, the NMI’s Cody Park, Seung Woo Lee, and Kijoon Park advanced to the semis; and in the girls 12 division, the NMI’s Stella Choi and Emma Lang advanced to the semis that are all scheduled for today.

In the boys 14 doubles division, the NMI’s doubles partners Matthew Hwang and Jihun Park made it to the finals and will take on Guam’s Jeren Devera and Jacob Hsiao. In the girls 14 doubles division, the NMI’s doubles duo of Anne Lee and Lina Tsukagoshi and NMI doubles partners Vivian Chung and Jenna Pascual made it to the semis.

The NMI’s Henry Choi and June Yu advanced to the semis of the boys 16 doubles division, along with the NMI’s Si Woo Lee and Nason Wessel. And, in the girls 16 doubles division, Irin Chung and Hoo Wang made it to the semis with NMI’s Hannah Chae and Anna Kwon.

After pool play last Wednesday, all players were thrown in a draw based on their finish, and there is no need to rank the players now in the playoffs. The Top 4 winners at the end of the tourney on Saturday will compete in the Pacific Oceania Junior Championship in Lautoka, Fiji this July.