SPOJC

2020

There was no event due to Covid-19

2019
LAUTOKA, FIJI–25th– 30th June 2019

Carol Lee won the 19th SPOJC Singles and Doubles Titles at the ITF J4 Event held at the Regional Training Centre in Lautoka, Fiji from 25th-30th June. In the Singles Final, affected by heavy rain with matches reduced to short sets, Carol Lee beat Jennifer Kida (USA) 4-2, 4-2. Eleanor Schuster (SAM) also made the semi-finals before being beaten by Jennifer Kida 4-0. 4-0. In the Doubles, Carol Lee and her partner Wing Ka Lin (HKG) won the final, also in short sets, against Kokomi Koyama (JPN)/Ines Stephani (BEL) 4-2, 5-3.

The Boy’s Singles was won by Jiaxi Ma (CHN) who defeated Patrick Joss (NZL) 4-0, 2-4, 4-1.

The Boy’s Doubles was won by Matthew Garcia (PHI)/Noritaka Koisumi (JPN) who defeated the Australian pairing of Amor Jasika/Rahul Desai 4-0,4-0.

2018

The 18th year of the SPOJC ITF grade 4 event in Fiji threw up a number of firsts. A girls qualifying was held for the first time and there were considerably more girls playing in the event than boys, the reverse of every other year. The doubles draws were also increased from 24 to 32 to cope with the numbers and allow the players in qualifying for singles to play main draw doubles. There were large contingents of players from Japan and Australia with smaller numbers from New Zealand, the Pacific and other Asian Nations with 17 nations being represented among the 116 players taking part.

The top seeds in the singles events Mann Shah (IND) and Carol Lee (NMI) were both ranked in the top 250 in the world and their play reflected their ranking. Shah went through the boys draw without dropping a set although he was pushed hard by Clement Mainguy (VAN) in the quarterfinals winning 6-2 6-4. In the final he overcame enthusiastic Japanese player Ayato Arakaki 6-4 6-0. Carol Lee was even more dominant in the girls singles and beat surprise finalist Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) 6-2 6-1 in the final.

Shah backed up his singles win by combining with fellow countryman Aaryan Zaveri to edge out Ryota Ishii (JPN) and Kamil Kozlowski (AUS) in a thrilling doubles final 76(4) 67(3) (10-6). The girls doubles was a walkover victory for second seeds Win Ka Lin (HKG) and Jingyi Wang (CHN) due to a leg injury to Manami Ukita (JPN). It was a disappointment for Ukita and partner Yamazaki as they had convincingly beaten the top seeds Lee and Chiara Di Tomasso (AUS) 6-1 6-3 in the semi-finals.

As most of the players were staying for the second week Grade 5 Event, consolation singles events proved popular with 24 girls taking part and 16 boys. Also on semi-finals day a player party was held at the Tanoa Waterfront Hotel in the evening with Pacific Island entertainment and fire dancing. This was greatly enjoyed by all.

2017

Pacific Oceania Girls totally dominated the Singles and Doubles finals of the 17th SPOJC held at the Regional Training Centre in Lautoka, Fiji. Violet Apisah (PNG) won both the Girl’s Singles and Doubles Events.
In the Singles Final Violet Apisah (PNG) defeated Carol Lee (NMI) 60, 64. Then she teamed with her sister, Patricia, to defeat Carol Lee (NMI)/Maxine Ng (SING) 60,76 (3).

In the Boy’s Events Ryan Seggerman (USA) did similarly winning both the Boys Singles and Doubles Events. In the Singles Event he beat Hiroki Sagagawa (JPN) 61, 63. He then teamed with compatriot, Kiev mores (USA) to defeat Chen Dong/Philip Sekulic (AUS) 75, 16, 10-4

2016

The 16th SPOJC was held at the Regional Tennis Centre in Lautoka in late June. Record numbers of players from Oceania and Asian Nations attended along with a few from USA. The boy’s qualifying event was full and there was a girl’s qualifying for the first time. With a series of long matches during the tournament these numbers put a lot of pressure on the schedule meaning the very good floodlights were used on a number of evenings.

Kaitlin Staines (AUS) and Sara Tsukamoto(USA)

The tournament was lucky to have very well ranked players as the top seeds in both the boy’s and girl’s events. As it turned out these players were too good for their lesser ranked opponents but the standard of tennis they turned on was much appreciated. Top Seed Kaitlin Staines from Australia won the Girl’s Singles beating 3rd seed Sara Tsukamoto from USA in a competitive match 6-4 6-4. Staines combined with Claudia Ng from Hong Kong to win the girl’s doubles against Maxine G (SIN)/Wing Sze Yu(HKG)comprehensively 6-3, 6-1.

Yu Hsiou Hsu from Chinese Taipei was the top seed in the boy’s singles with a world junior ranking of 151 and an ATP ranking of 1844. He played excellent tennis right through to the final where he came up against Australia Dimitri Morogiannis who had suffered a back injury in winning his semi-final match. In the final the Australian tried valiantly for a set before being forced to retire and hand the title to Hsu at 6-0, 3-0 Retired.

Dimitri Morogiannis(AUS) and Yu Hsiou Hsu(TPE)

In the doubles Hsu combined with Arthur Chau from Hong Kong to take the title over Ali Mooraj (PAK) and Dylan Heap (NZL) 6-2 7-6.

The biggest ever number of players from the Pacific took part in the tournament. This was due largely to the ITF development project to bringing promising players from Pacific countries together in Lautoka for two months to train and play the various events available. Carol Lee (NMI) did best, reaching the girl’s quarterfinals while Mulan Kamoe (FIJ) reached the round of 16 and Vida Teally (SOL) and Ruby Coffin (FIJ) also had wins in the girl’s singles. Reynald Taaroa (PYF) had his first singles win on the ITF Junior circuit beating Larry Magalasin (ASA) to reach the round of 32.”

2015: FIJI-JUNE 2015

The 2015 South Pacific Open Junior Championships were again held at the Regional Tennis Centre, Lautoka but this time on the courts that had just been resurfaced with the winner of the previous week’s ITF Junior Boy’s Tournament in New Caledonia, Moerani Bouzige (AUS) beating compatriot Jesse Delany (AUS) 6-4,6-0 in the final.

In the Girl’s Singles, last year’s winner Michaela Hart (AUS) was too strong for 2nd seed Ayumi Miyamoto(JPN), the winner of the previous week’s Junior Event in New Caledonia, eventually prevailing 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

The best of the Pacific Oceania players was Ayana Rengiil (PAL) who lost to the 2nd seed Ayumi Miyamoto in the 3rd round in a very tight and tense final set 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

The Boy’s Doubles saw the 3rd seed Japanese pairing of Taisei Miyamoto/Yuki Watanabe too strong for their top seed opponents from Hong Kong Ching Lam/Chun Alan Sou winning easily 6-2, 6-2

The Girl’s Doubles saw the Japanese pairing of Ayumi Miyamoto/Rika Tanaka beat Michaela Hart (AUS) / Mimi Levine (USA) 1-6, 6-7, (10-7). The best of the Pacific players was Ayana Rengiil (PAL)/Carol lee (NMI) who lost in the 3rd round.

Ayana Rengiil (PAL) also went on to win the Consolation Girls Singles Final

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2014:

The SPOJC was held in June at Lautoka, Fiji in late June with the 5th seed, Jackie Tang (HKG) beating Kiranpal Pannu (NZL), who had won in Noumea the previous week, in a 3 hour Boy’s Singles Final 6-7(5), 6-0, 7-5. Pannu and his New Zealand partner, Jack Heslin convincingly won the Boys Doubles Final beating the top seeds from Hong Kong, Lawrence Lo and Jack Wong 6-4, 6-1.

Yaelle Honakoko did the best of the Pacific Girls, getting to the ¼ Finals before being beaten by the eventual Girl’s Singles Winner, Michaela Hart (AUS) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. She beat her compatriot Alicia Smith (AUS) in the Final 6-3,6-0. Annie Shannon also reached the round of 16. Mulan Kamoe (FIJ) performed with distinction in the Girl’s Consolation reaching the final before being beaten by Jessica Brzozowska (AUS) 4-0, 4-2. In the Girl’s Doubles Final Alicia Smith and her compatriot Katerina Valos (AUS) defeated Kelly Drew (NZL) and Yaelle Honakoko (CAL) 6-6, 4-6, 10-4.

2013

The Pacific Oceania Girls dominated the just finished 2013 South Pacific Open Junior Championships (SPOJC) at Lautoka, Fiji. In the Girl’s singles Final 2nd seed Marcia Tere-Apisah (PNG) lost a very close final to the top seed Claire Yoonkee Choi Spackman (HKG) 6-3, 6-3. In the semi-finals theGS previous day Tarani Kamoe (FIJ), the 4th seed lost to Claire Yoonkee Choi Spackman 7-5,6-0.

Pictured on the left winner Claire Yoonkee Choi Spackman (HKG) and on the right runner up Marcia Tere-Apisah (PNG)

In the Girls Doubles final the unseeded pairing of Mimi Levine(USA) and Marcia Tere-Apisah (PNG) were too strong for the Fiji pairing of Tarani Kamoe and Annie Shannon, the top seeds,  who withstood a tight 1st set to eventually win the Doubles Final 7-5, 6-1. Earlier in the semi-finals the Fiji pairing of Tarani Kamoe and Annie Shannon had beaten the 4th seeds from New Caledonia Yaelle Honakoko and Assya TrimGDari 6-4, 6-2.

Pictured to the left with Tournament Director, John Shannon, are the winners Marcia Tere-Apisah(PNG) and Mimi Levine(USA) on the left and Tarani Kamoe (FIJ) and Annie Shannon(FIJI) on the right.

In the Girl’s Consolation Final the unseeded Lorraine Banimataku (VAN) pictured on the right with Tournament Director, John Shannon, beat Gabriela Coates (NZL) 0-6,6-3, (10-4) after earlier beating Assaya TDSC_0108rimari (CAL) 6-4,6-4 in the semi-finals. Consolation

In the Boy’s Singles Final, the 7th Seed Jack Barber (USA) beat the top seed, Daniel Nolan (AUS) in a see-saw final 7-6(0), 1-6, 6-3

Winner Jack Barber (USA) on the left and runner up, Daniel Nolan (AUS) on the right

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