Tennis star looking to play overseas

To improve in sports, especially if you live in the islands, travelling overseas for regular competition is just one way of lifting your game.

Thats exactly what top local tennis player Lilian Maui knows she needs to do if she is to lift the standard of her game and live her dream of turning her love of tennis into a career.

The 17-year-old dedicated tennis player is the current mens national tennis champion.

With no other female player on the island up to her level Maui took on the big boys in the national tennis tournament late last year to win the title off the men she faced.

The humble teen toured New Zealand with the junior tennis team from Rarotonga where she won gold in the under 18 division at the Hamilton tournament and again at the Poverty Bay tournament.

She added a third gold medal to her tally by taking out the doubles division as well.

This week Maui is assisting national coach Malcolm Kajer deliver the junior tennis holiday programme at the Nikao Tennis Centre and sharing her skills with kids that look up to her as their local tennis role model.

Maui says that her recent success on court has made her more driven to improve her tennis.

She says that she wants to play regular tournaments overseas.

Coach Malcolm Kajer is adamant the young woman needs to compete regularly overseas but he says to do that, she needs financial support.

Businesses or local tennis fans who are keen to see this talented young woman fly the nations flag or those who have ideas about how to fund Mauis much-needed overseas experience can contact Kajer on 75614.