Young tennis stars shine in Fiji

Cook Islands junior tennis players stepped up their game this week in Fiji and achieved some fantastic results.

After a slow start in the first tournament the Pacific Oceania Junior Champions the locals have bounced back in impressive style.

The local players are currently in their second tournament in Fiji where the team has been split into senior boys and girls and junior boys and girls divisions.

Eighteen-year-old female player Lillian Maui, who placed 6th overall in her first tournament, has smashed her way to the top of the senior girls division to finish 2nd overall.

The rising star actually won all her games to progress to the semi finals where she was narrowly beaten by Lorish Puluspene 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Tayla Beddoes, who played in the under 15 girls division in the first tournament, faced players more experienced and older than her in the senior girls division and she played tenaciously.

Although she placed 10th the youngster is a rising tennis star to watch for in the future.

Fellow female teammate Kiana Sword-Tua played her heart out in the junior girls division but as of yesterday had yet to record a win in what is another tough division.

In the senior boys division fantastic results were recorded by Tamarua Payne, Frederick Pickering and Roland Neururer who placed 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively.

Jake Bergman, who competed in the junior boys division, also made improvements to his game in the second tournament and so far has recorded 2 wins from 3 games.

The tournament now heads into the doubles competition with the team to return to Rarotonga after the weekend.