New Caledonia hosted the first Oceania Tennis Championships in Noumea in September 2010. The concept of these championships was to provide a high level of competitive tennis in the Pacific in the years where there are no Pacific Games and to involve all Oceania nations including Australia and New Zealand.
The 2012 Oceania Championships were held in Noumea, New Caledonia, in the first week of September. Teams from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu joined hosts New Caledonia in a week of teams and individual competition.
Samoa won the wo
men’s teams competition and Australia the men’s.
Players from the visiting nations were also dominant in the individual competitions. Marcia Tere-Apisah (PNG), the top seed, was too consistent for Samoa’s Steffi Carruthers in the women’s singles final winning 6-3 6-3. The playoff for bronze was won by Yaelle Honakoko who beat her New Caledonia compatriot Samuelle Bull 6-2 6-1.
The men’s singles featured some upsets with defending champion Nickolas N’Godrela (CAL) going down to Adam Alessandrini (AUS) in a close match in the second round. The Australian then went on to upset fourth seed Troy Hargreaves (AUS) in the semifinals and then took the title in an exciting win over third seed Cyril Jacobe (VAN) 6-1
7-6.
Samoa pairing Maylani Ah Hoy and Steffi Carruthers beat Annie Shannon and Tarani Kamoe (FIJ) to win gold in the women’s doubles. The men’s doubles was an all Australian affair with Alessandri and partner Brett Patten beating Troy Hargreaves and Bruce Osborne.