Junior tennis stars shine on Hamilton courts

Three rising tennis stars from Rarotonga are gaining invaluable court time at the Frucor Waikato Bays Christmas Junior Tournament. Zsaleya Sword-Tua (11), Manamea Kotea (12) and Tiamai Koteka (13) began with positive results on the first day of the five-day tournament on Sunday. All three players competed in the under 14 girls singles event, with Tiamai Koteka securing a first up win against Briana Obrien 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. This was a confidence booster for Koteka, but she went down in her second game 6-0, 6-0, against the number one seeded player in the tournament, Kendra Paea. This put her into the consolation draw where she beat 11- year old Fine Cronin from Samoa 6-0; 6-0. Koteka’s backhand secured her some vital points and the youngster was feeling upbeat ahead of her next competition. Eleven year old Zsaleya Sword-Tua started her first match strongly, taking out the first set off her opponent Amy Miller 6-3 but was unable to sustain the momentum in the hot Hamilton heat and after two hours 10 minutes lost 6-2, 6-7, 2-6. She then lost her consolation draw match to Fine Cronin 6-7, 3-6 . Twelve year old Manamea Koteka met with Tyra Laulauting from Samoa going down 6-4, 3-6, 2-6. This was another endurance event where Koteka displayed good composure and determination with extremely long rallies. In the consolation draw Koteka went down to Carrie Robson 0-6, 0-6. Koteka joined Sword-Tua in the plate draw on day two of the tournament. The three aspiring tennis stars are coping with the hot and sunny days in Hamilton and are in high spirits in the middle of their tournament. They extend their thanks to families and friends and to the Cook Islands Sport and National Olympic Committee’s national activity programme initiative that helped make their tour possible. The girls are accompanied by their parents.

Three rising tennis stars from Rarotonga are gaining invaluable court time at the Frucor Waikato Bays Christmas Junior Tournament. Zsaleya Sword-Tua (11), Manamea Kotea (12) and Tiamai Koteka (13) began with positive results on the first day of the five-day tournament on Sunday. All three players competed in the under 14 girls singles event, with Tiamai Koteka securing a first up win against Briana Obrien 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. This was a confidence booster for Koteka, but she went down in her second game 6-0, 6-0, against the number one seeded player in the tournament, Kendra Paea. This put her into the consolation draw where she beat 11- year old Fine Cronin from Samoa 6-0; 6-0. Koteka’s backhand secured her some vital points and the youngster was feeling upbeat ahead of her next competition. Eleven year old Zsaleya Sword-Tua started her first match strongly, taking out the first set off her opponent Amy Miller 6-3 but was unable to sustain the momentum in the hot Hamilton heat and after two hours 10 minutes lost 6-2, 6-7, 2-6. She then lost her consolation draw match to Fine Cronin 6-7, 3-6 . Twelve year old Manamea Koteka met with Tyra Laulauting from Samoa going down 6-4, 3-6, 2-6. This was another endurance event where Koteka displayed good composure and determination with extremely long rallies. In the consolation draw Koteka went down to Carrie Robson 0-6, 0-6. Koteka joined Sword-Tua in the plate draw on day two of the tournament. The three aspiring tennis stars are coping with the hot and sunny days in Hamilton and are in high spirits in the middle of their tournament. They extend their thanks to families and friends and to the Cook Islands Sport and National Olympic Committee’s national activity programme initiative that helped make their tour possible. The girls are accompanied by their parents.