NATABUA High School students Vienna Fong Kumar and Ruby Coffin will represent Fiji in the upcoming Oceania Closed Junior Championship (OCJC) at the Regional Tennis Centre in Nadovu Lautoka.
The OCJC is an International Tennis Federation Grade B Two event which is the highest level competition to be played in the country.
The tournament has attracted some of the star junior players from the region.
Violet Apisah from Papua New Guinea who has a world junior ranking of 72 is the top seed in the girls’ division.
Kumar recently participated in the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas and received her first world rankings. She is ranked 2287.
Tennis Fiji president Richard Breen said Kumar fared well at the Commonwealth Youth Games against better world ranked players.
“According to coach Tony O’Connell, Kumar recorded close losses,” he said.
“She has got her first world rankings and will now look at building on that. Ruby has been working hard to lift her game level.
“The OCJC will be highly competitive with some of the best tennis players on show.
“Unfortunately Fiji will not be represented in the boys’ division. Some of our players have just gone over the under-18 age category. There are a few like Sebastian Tikaram who are overseas. Tikaram is based in Australia and went to the Commonwealth Youth Games. However apart from tennis he has his education priorities as well.
“Hopefully next year we can get him to play in more ITF events. We are grateful to Tanoa Waterfront Hotel for being our official accommodation provider.”
Breen said several top high performance coaches from Australia and New Zealand would be present during the OCJC to monitor their players.
Thomas Bosancic of Australia with a world junior ranking of 91 is the number one seed in the men’s division.
The OCJC will be played from August 7-11.
