Tennis Cook Islands held its annual general meeting this week where president Davina Hosking-Ashford was re-elected to lead the association for another term.

Davina Hosking-Ashford says tennis has the potential to contribute to the Cook Islands economy through hosting international tournaments.

Hosking-Ashford made this comment after getting re-elected as the president of Tennis Cook Islands. The association’s annual general meeting was held on Tuesday at CISNOC office in Nikao.

Hosking-Ashford said she was excited and grateful to the tennis community for trusting her and re-electing as president for 2023-2024.

She joined the committee in 2019 as the treasurer and in 2020 she showed more interest in becoming president.

“My choice to run again as president has been guided by my passion for tennis, junior tennis, senior tennis, community tennis here in Rarotonga and in the Pa Enua.”

Hosking-Ashford said Tennis Cook Islands continued to improve and develop facilities/infrastructure so that they could one day bring international tournaments to the Cook Islands.

“So our people can see our children and top players competing in an international sanctioned tournament.”

She said watching junior players like Raetea Rongo, Timeri Wearing, Maka Maui, and Luke Pierre on the international stage has been fantastic and showed “our children are so talented”.

“It is exciting to see former top juniors such as Norah Browne, Lilian Maui, Hinano Ellingham, Maeva Leigh Herman, and Taylor Beddoes back into tennis and competing in senior competitions such as Nations Cup, Pacific Games,” Hosking-Ashford said.

“Our superstar Brett Baudinet continues to represent the Cook Islands in the Davis Cup which is a dream for us in the future … to have our very own Davis Cup Team. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

She said Tennis Cook Islands endeavours to raise its profile in the community and for all Cook Islanders.

She thanked ANZ Rarotonga for sponsoring the ANZ Primary Schools Programme.

“We are here to support and encourage, build capacity and add value. Thank you to the community for volunteering their time to support, encourage and help grow tennis. Forever grateful to you all. Looking forward to a fantastic 2023.”

2023-2024 Executives are: Davina Hosking-Ashford (President), Kathy Numanga-Wearing (V.P), Norah Browne (Secretary), Marcelle Rossouw (Treasurer), Henry Herman (Committee Member), Nicole Hansen (Committee Member), Hinano Ellingham (Committee Member) and Eleanor Keukura Roi (Committee Member).