At the end of July, 2 World Tennis Tour Junior Events were completed in Fiji. Pat O’Rourke was the Referee and he writes that:
“Two events on the ITF Junior tour were held at the Regional Tennis Centre in Lautoka at the end of July and beginning of August. Both were very well attended with players from many Pacific nations, Australia and New Zealand as well as Asian nations including Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Qualifying events with over 20 players participating were held both weeks for boys and girls meaning it was very competitive to get into the main draws of 32 each week.
After long hot days for qualifying and first round of week one the tournament was interrupted by rain from 10am on Wednesday and did not resume until almost midday on Friday. As a consequence matches were reduced in length to two sets and a match tiebreak until the finals in singles and short sets until the final of the doubles with almost all the tournament played on Friday afternoon and Saturday thanks to great co-operation from all the players. The finals were held over until Sunday, the qualifying day for week 2.
The finalists in the first week represented a wide spread of nations illustrating th international nature of the tournament. Hudson Baxter (AUS) beat Jacob Shen (HKG) in the boys singles and Charloote Vanstone McGrath (AUS) beat Lisa Anzai (JPN) in the girls singles. Success for the Pacific came in the boys doubles with Storm Cornish (FIJ) and Maka Ofati (TUV) taking the title in straght sets. The girls doubles was a very close match with Lucia Gale (NZL) and Mahi Khore( AUS) triumphing in a match tiebreak. The tournament was also notable for two players from Tahiti having success in singles, Mehetia Boosie reaching the quarters and Tavero Chung the second round, achieving Junior world rankings for the first time.
Weather was better for the second week although rain was predicted for the end of the event so the doubles were brought forward by a day to ensure everything could be completed. Many of the same players dominated again. There was a notable singles performance from Maka Ofati (TUV) who played superb serve and volley tennis to reach the semi-finals where he lost in three sets to week one winner Hudson Baxter in three sets after getting to match point in the second set but being unable to convert. Boosie and Chung continued on their good play from the previous week by reaching the doubles semifinals.
Top boys seed Max Wong (SGP) was in great touch winning all his matches in straight sets as he breezed past Hudson Baxter (AUS) in the boys singles final. Charlotte Vanstone McGrath reached her second final in a row but was stopped by compatriot Ava Beck 75 63 in a very tight final. The pair easily took out the doubles final over Olivia Collins (AUS) and Anna HSU (TPE). Storm Cornish and Maka Ofati featured in the boys doubles final for the second week but were unable to complete the double going down to enthusiastic Japanese pairing Ko Fujikawa and Nagamitsu Kuroda in straight sets.
An outstanding two weeks of tennis with play at a high level for J30 events.”
