Learning experience for tennis youngsters

The Cook Islands junior tennis squad may not have been as successful as they hoped at the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Lautoka, Fiji but they have certainly gained a huge amount of confidence and experience from the event.

The squad was reportedly the youngest at the championships and have around two more years of playing in their age grades.

The players certainly played their best and next week they have another opportunity to lift their level of tennis when they face New Zealand and Australia players in Fiji.

The best result for the Cooks was by under 18 girls division player Lillian Maui who teamed up with American Samoa’s Leilani Ducknak to take second place in the doubles division.

Tayla Beddoes teamed up with Samoa’s Anastasi Tapusoa in the under 14 girls doubles division and the pair reached the semi-finals stage.

Overall results say Lilian Maui reach 10th place in the under 18 girls while under 18 boys players Elias Tukaroa and Alex Beddoes placed 10th and 11th respectively.

Tayla Beddoes came ninth in the under 14 girls.

In the under 14 boys division, Tamarua Payne had the best result placing sixth while Roland Neururer was close behind in seventh place and Jake Bergman came 13th.

The squads only under 12 player Kiana Sword-Tua did extremely well to place 14th overall and is a fast rising star in the sport of tennis.

The team is expected home on August 7.