PIC Tennis registration deadline set

Deadline for registration to the upcoming 9th Annual Pacific Islands Club Tennis Championships had been set on the next two Fridays—March 20 for the singles and March 27 for the doubles.

PIC sports manager Lindsey Sosovec said three players have so far submitted entry forms.

Entry fee is $15 for singles events and $20 per team for the doubles.

Preparations have already started two weeks ago for the tennis championships to be held in two separate playing dates at the PIC hard surface courts.

The singles’ matches in men, women, and juniors divisions will be played March 27-30 while the doubles matches in men, women, juniors, and mixed will be on April 3-5.

The singles categories will include three men’s divisions (open, 4.0, and 3.0), two women’s divisions (open and 4.0), two boys divisions (14-and-under and 10-and-under), and two girls divisions (14-and-under and 10-and-under).

The doubles will consist of three men’s divisions (open, 4.0, and 3.0), two women’s divisions (open and 4.0), two boys divisions (14-and-under and 10-and-under), two girls divisions (14-and-under and 10-and-under), and two mixed divisions (open and 4.0).

Cash prizes are guaranteed for the champion and runner-up in both the singles and doubles open divisions.

All the other winners and finalists will also receive prizes from sponsors that include PIC Saipan, Pacific Trading Co., including Gatorade and Pepsi, Island Apparel, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, and Rota Resort.

All participants will be provided with waterpark passes to help them relax between matches.

Interested players can get entry forms at the PIC Information Desk, Tennis Center, and American Memorial Park tennis courts from 9am to 6pm daily.

Sosovec can be contacted at 235-6231 ext. 5147 for more information or email her at sportsmanager@picsaipan.com.

Last year, the CNMI’s No. 1 youth netter Ji Hoon Heo completed his title defense after a 6-3, 6-3 win over Peter Loyola in the men’s open finals. His win came at the heels of his come-from-behind 9-7 win over Jeff Race in the previous month’s Coconut Classic finals.

In the girls’ 13-and-under division finals, Theecel Minor survived the gallant stand of 8-year-old Negahr Rastguiy in a 6-2, 6-0 win.

Matty Buenaventura won the women’s 4.0 title after a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Lydia Tan. Buenaventura downed Kisses Aquino, 6-0, 6-2, while Tan defeated Ellen Uy, 6-0, 6-2 to arrange a finals showdown.