NMITA elevated to Class B in int’l stage

The Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association reached a historic breakthrough in its tennis aspirations at the International Tennis Federation Annual General Meeting held in Cancun, Mexico last Sunday.

NMITA’s status was elevated from a Class C membership—to a Class B membership—after Dr. Bobby Cruz represented NMITA in the meeting.

Among the 20 countries in Pacific Oceania, only Guam previously held Class B status, so the challenge of persuading federation presidents and delegates from tennis nations worldwide to vote in favor of upgrading NMITA’s membership status was herculean.

But with the support of NMI national tennis team head coach Jeff Race and the Oceania Tennis Federation leaders, Cruz was successful, as NMI now stands proudly as just the second Class B member in the Pacific region. This upgraded status paves the way for abundant opportunities for NMI tennis.

In the realm of tennis, the ITF stands as the premier governing body, overseeing world tennis, with a global representation of over 200 member nations.

Race said about the upgrade from Class C to Class B, “We can now anticipate the formation of our very own Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup teams. The junior division will also benefit, with teams competing in the world 14’s competition.”

The NMI also increases its potential for tens of thousands of dollars in additional ITF funding support, contingent upon meeting specific benchmarks.

Cruz, for his part said, “The NMI, a modest entity in the Pacific, envisions a grand future for tennis despite our limited resources. This achievement resulted from a community effort, building upon and reinforcing the leadership and dedication of so many in our Marianas, from our supporters to players.”

Recent accomplishments from homegrown talents further underscore this sentiment. Carol Lee made history by being the first junior from the NMI to compete in a Grand Slam and is also set to turn pro this year after securing a commendable No. 7 ranking in the U.S. Intercollegiate Tennis. Colin Sinclair continues to impress on the ATP Tour, with career-high rankings in both singles and doubles.

Cruz emphasized that the successes he witnessed at the meeting could not have been possible without the unwavering dedication of Race, support from the OTF, and guidance of Guam’s Torgun Smith.

Cruz added, “Though the milestones achieved in NMI tennis might seem modest globally, they signify giant leaps for our humble tennis community. There’s a vision in place, encompassing improved governance, infrastructure expansion, corporate collaborations, nurturing local coaching capacity, and most crucially, ensuring inclusive and equitable junior development. And, because we are a people of tenacity and resilience, we have faith in our vision.”