The IT & E Northern Marianas Open Junior Championships are nearing the Finals and Referee, Pat O’ Rourke, reports that ” Yesterday, Friday saw some exciting quarter-final matches with players from 4 different nations making the semi-finals of the Boys Singles while Japan dominated the girls quarterfinals.
In a three hour epic un-seeded Jesse Delaney from Australia outlasted Korean giant killer
(pictured Jesse Delaney)
Hyuk Chung 76(5) 63 to make his first ever semi-final. Chung had played through qualifying and beaten the top seed in the first round of the main draw. Wildcard entry Francisco Blanco Paris from Spain upset the second seed Chak Yin Chan to get through and was joined by Yong Seak Jank (Korea) and Jackie Tang (Hog Kong).
In the girls singles top seed Katrina Orteza (PHI) showed her class winning her quarter-final comfortably against Sachi Belwal. Joining her in the semifinals will be three Japanese players Mei Otsuka, Yuri Katano and unranked Izumi Asano. Asano was impressive in her win over German Vivien Klein with her aggressive play.
(Pictured Izumu Azano)
Local North Pacific players have had success with three girls reaching the doubles quarterfinals. Mikayla Lopez and Neghar Rastguiy from NMI lost a tight match to the second seeds and Ayana Rengil (Palau) made it to the quarters with her South African partner.”