Young tennis stars shine at NZ comp

Cook Islands junior tennis players not only showed their skills but their tenacity at the recent Auckland Christmas tournament where a number of players battled on despite carrying injuries.

A team of 16 local junior tennis players between the ages of 8 and 18 put their skills to the test in two tough tournaments in Hamilton and Auckland in December.

Local tennis coach Malcolm Kajer says he is very proud of the professionalism shown by his young team who had a full-on schedule at the two tournaments in New Zealand.

“Our players did really well considering most of them only had a year’s worth of tennis and preparations compared to their New Zealand opponents who have had as much as four or five years’ tennis experience,” says Kajer.

The budding tennis stars played up to four games a day at the Hamilton tournament with some games lasting up to three hours.

But the tough schedule took its toll on the young players with a few not able to play at the second tournament in Auckland due to injuries while other players like 16-year-old Lillian Maui battled their injuries as well as their opponents.

Kajer says he was blown away with Maui’s maturity and strength to play on in the tournament despite a raw blister which shot bolts of pain up one side of the young player’s leg and body.

With pure determination Maui played her way through to the semi finals of the girls under 16 division at the Auckland tournament losing to the eventual winner of the division.

“Lillian just shows that our local tennis players have what it takes and what they really need is more support including financial support,” says Kajer.

Kajer says that both tournaments were eye openers not only for the player but also for him.

He is also deciding on which tournaments to take the next group of junior tennis players to at the end of the year.

Kajer says he is keen to continue taking the kids to the Hamilton tournament but dropping the higher level Auckland tournament.

He says that the Gisborne tournament, also in December, will be a much better tournament for Cook Islands junior tennis players.

“The Gisborne tournament will have players around the same playing level as our kids because the Auckland tournament is a much higher level tournament.”

Overall, Kajer says that he is pleased with the tennis programmes and achievements in 2010 and expects some great things from the junior tennis team this year.

Kajer would like to thank all the parents and supporters that helped organise the New Zealand tour and look after the young players.

Tennis lessons start up again at the Nikao tennis centre this week.

- Matariki Wilson