The Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) PNG Junior Tennis team departed on Friday 28th and are now in Port Vila, Vanuatu competing in the 2023 West Pacific Regional Championships (WPRC) which have begun today and will finish on Saturday 6th May, 2023.
Amongst the team are two players from Lae that have joined the Port Moresby Racquets Club as well as other two players from Sydney, Australia.
“For the first time, we have Lae based players in this team-John Louie Domalaon and Cassandra Thomas,” said PNG Tennis Association President Barbara Stubbings through an online interview.
“The PNG based athletes will be joined by Colita and Sugar-Ray Hakena, who will fly direct from Sydney,” said President Barbara Stubbings.
“The team is made up of 14 players (7 male/ 7 female) and 2 coaches, Abigail Tere-Apisah and Eddie Mera”, stated President Barbara Stubbings.
Meanwhile, President Stubbings said that this championship is the first in the pathway for Regional Representation under the Oceania Tennis Federation banner.
“The West Pacific Regional Championships is the first in the pathway for Regional Representation at various events under the Oceania Tennis Federation banner. If players finish in the top 2 places of their respective age groups at the WPRC, they will be selected in the West Pacific Team to compete against the East and North Pacific Teams, at the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships (POJC) in July/August 2023. A Top 2 finish at the POJC will lead to selection in various ITF/OTF Touring teams to attend tournaments in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia”, stated President Stubbings.
“PNG Tennis would like to thank Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd as major sponsors, along with support sponsors CPL and NCDC, ITF/OTF for the travel grants and Vanuatu Tennis Federation for hosting the event. PNG Tennis is also very grateful to those sponsors who supported the 2023 HCMS PNG Junior Open – HCMS, CPL, NCDC, Ace Tennis Gear, ITI, Fairprice, Angore Holdings Ltd, TeeBee Accountants, WeGo Enterprises, The Port Moresby Racquets Club and Lae Tennis Club,” said Stubbings.
“A big thank you also goes to the PNGSF, PNG Immigration & Citizenship Division, PNG Civil Registry Office and the Australian High Commission for the incredible support and assistance to ensure the full team was able to travel to the regional event”, she said.
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