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Air Pacific Fiji Open - New Caledonia Dominate
New Caledonia players Nickolas N'Godrela and Aneave Pain between them won all five major titles at the the Air Pacific/Adidas Fiji Open and Veterans Championships. N'Godrela won the men's singles with an easy victory over compatriot Matthieu Monot 61 61. however the mens semifinals were both excellent matches. Firstly N'Godrela was taken to three sets by fellow New Caledonia player Christophe Godot eventually winning 62 46 61 and local Fiji player Deva reddy almost caused an upset before falling to Monot 75 in the third set.
The women's singles was totally dominated by junior players. Anaeve Pain was untroubled to win the title beating Steffi Carruthers from Samoa 61 76(4) in the final. Carruthers had earlier dispatched last year's winner Marcia Tere Apisah (PNG) in convincing style. Anaeve Pain combined with Meryl Pydo to win the womens doubles in three sets over surprise finalists Amanda Korinihona and Marcia Tere-Apisah 06 64 64.
N'Godrela picked up his second title when he won the mens doubles with Monot beating Andrew Mailtorok (VAN) and Ian Honila (SOL) 62 61. A third title came later in the mixed doubles where the two singles champions N'Godrela and Pain combined to beat Godot and Carruthers 76(3) 62. Godot and Carruthers had earlier won an exciting semifinal over Monot and Meryl Pydo 76(3) 76(4)
With the largest overseas attendance at the event for some time there were a large number of veterans, social and junior age group events played in addition to the open events. Notable among the results was the win for Dan O'Connell and Naga reddy in the mens 120 age group who edged out rivals for many years Alan Chester and Pat Kelly.
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Pacific Mini Games - Cook Islands
Cook Islands dominated the women's events while new Caledonia dominated the men's and teams events at the 2009 Pacific Mini Games in Rarotonga.
Cook Islands' Kairangi Vano and top seed Elodie Dietrich-Rogge (NC) played out the match of the tournament in the women's singles final. After winning the first set comfortably Vano (pictured above) was overwhelmed in the second set losing it 1-6 as Dietrich forced the match to a third set. In a thrilling set Vano eventually triumphed 7-5 in an epic battle between the two WTA ranked players.
The playoff for bronze was another highlight for the hosts as Brittany Teei outlasted Steffi Carruthers (SAM) 64 76(4) in a very close match. Teei and Vano then combined to win the women's doubles, defeating Dietrich-Rogge and Meryl Pydo 64 63. past gold medal winners Maylani Ah Hoy and Tagifano So'onalole-Taosonga (SAM) took out the bronze medal against Ravahere Rauzy and Mayka Zima 64 62.
Nickolas N'Godrela was the star of the tournament winning three gold medals. In singles he beat Gilles De Gouy from Tahiti 61 61 in the singles final, then combined with Guillaume Mont to win the doubles over Tahiti pairing of Patrice Cotti and Raiari Yan 62 63. He followed this up with his third gold of the day in the mixed doubles where he and Elodie Dietrich-Rogge beat the brother/sister combination of Marvin So'onalole and Tagifano So'onalole-Taosonga 64 63. The third So'onaloe, Leon combined with Marvin to take bronze in the mens doubles and with Maylani Ah Hoy for bronze in the mixed doubles.
Pacific Mini Games - Cook Islands
New caledonia claimed both gold medals in the men's and women's teams competitions during the first week of the Pacific Mini Games tennis competition in Rarotonga.
In the men's teams event New Caledonia took on Vanuatu in the final and scored two convicing wins in the singles meaning the doubles did not need to be played. Guillame Monot, in his first Pacific Mini Games beat Jerome Rovo in the opening match 63 62 and then Nikolas N'Godrela outplayed Pacific Oceania Davis Cup player Cyril Jacobe 60 63 to wrap up the tie and claim gold. The bronze medal playoff went right to the wire with Samoa just beating hosts Cook Islands 2-1. Brett Baudinet convincingly beat Leon So'onalole in the top singles but was unable to repaet the win in the deciding doubles playing with Sam Tangaroa, going down in three sets to So'onalole and Reinsford Penn.
The women's teams final featured home team Cook Islands against New Caledonia. Stephanie Diluccio got New Cal off to a great start beating Brittany Teei 61 64 and then Elodie Dietrich-Rogge sealed victory with a win over Kairangi Vano in three sets in a tight battle between two WTA world ranked players. The bronze medal was won by Samoa who beat Tahiti 2-1 taking the deciding doubles convincingly 61 61.
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