Tennis players prepare for tourney

Rarotonga tennis players are fine-tuning their skills ahead of next week’s International Tennis Federation Junior East Pacific Tournament.

Local players have been taking part in the ANZ tennis stars tournament over the past three weeks to get in as much competition time ahead of the tournament.

Up to 50 tennis players from host nation Cook Islands, Samoa and American Samoa will take part in the four day tournament between July 5 and 9.

As host nation the Cooks has a junior squad of 24 that will compete in under 12, under 14 and under 18 age divisions.

Team Samoa has 12 players two in each age division while team Tonga is made up of five players. Team American Samoa is made up of eight players.

The tournament seconds as a qualifier for the Pacific Junior Open tournament scheduled for August in Fiji, with the winner and second place getter in both the male and female division across all age grades qualifying for Fiji.

In the under 12 division, up-and -comers Strauss Williams, Andrew Terupe, Trey Williams and Jedial Shaheem will compete in the boys’ division while Keana Tua, Tatyana Vakatini and Hoani Gibson will compete in the girls’ division. In the under 14 division, local junior elite players (boys) Roland Neururer, Jake Bergman, Tamarua Payne, Thomas Vinsen, (girls) Tayla Beddoes, Emma Pynenburg and Chloe Haines will contest the division.

The Cooks will field 10 tennis stars in under 18 division which is sure to be a thrilling competition.

The Cooks under 18 squad includes (boys) Elias Tukaroa, Frederick Pickering, Alex Beddoes, Arama Wigmore, Ngana Nicholas, Jacob Pynenburg, Tamatoa Nooroa, (girls) Norah Browne, Lillian Maui and Vaineritua Koteka.

The tournament will be held at the Nikao Tennis Centre and admission is free.