Referee of the Oceania Open Junior Championships, Pat O’ Rourke writes that ” the inaugural Oceania Open Junior Championships ITF Grade 5 event was held in Lautoka the week following the SPOJC. The boys field was virtually the same as the previous week but the girls was without several of the leading seeds and the SPOJC winner.
Top boys seed Jack Wong (HKG) lost his first match in the SPOJC but used the consolation event to play his way into form for the Oceania tournament. As a result he was able to battle his way past several tough opponents to reach the final. Zac Whaanga (NZL), a finalist at New Caledonia two weeks previously, was his Opponent. Whaanga began strongly racing through the first set 6-2. However Wong used all his guile and deft shot making to fight back and take control winning the next two sets 6-1 6-2 to take the match.
Singles Winner, Jack Wong (HKG)
The girls final featured third seed Hsiang-Wen Huang (TPE) against the diminutive Momoka Yoshida (JPN). The match was a war of attrition in the hot temperatures. Huang took 90 minutes to claim the first set. Yoshida took 15 minutes to win the third game of the second set and then took control winning the majority of the gruelling rallies. After three hours and 17 minutes Yoshida claimed her first ITF World Junior Circuit title 4-6 6-2 6-2.
Winner, Yoshida (left) and Runner Up Huang (right)
The boys doubles title went to the British pair Piers Foley and Luke Hammond who beat the winners from the previous week Kiranpal Pannu and Jack Heslin in an thrilling match 7-6 7-6.
Pannu/Heslin (left); Foley/Hammond (right)
Third seeds Kelly drew (NZL) and Alexandra Taylor (AUS) had too much power for the Taiwanese pairing of Huang and Shih winning the girls doubles comfortably 6-4 6-3.
