Team PNG’s Women’s Tennis team secured the country’s and the 2022 Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games first gold on Saturday.
The women’s team consisting of the Apisah siblings Violet and Patricia and their aunt, Abigail Tere-Apisah breezed through the first Team category competition undefeated. Abigail set the tone for her nieces and they didn’t disappoint.
Despite the onset of pre-game nerves, Abigail did not look too far to find her composure, easily shrugging off her Kiribati opponent before Violet and Patricia turned up the assault in the doubles.
Overcoming the first two games between Kiribati and Guam on Thursday dissipated any doubts of their skills as they downed their opponents booking an early semi-final berth and well-earned break on Friday.
The team then turned on Saturday morning, doused the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas in the morning session to set up a golden encounter with Fiji in the afternoon. With Abigail first up again, her prowess in calculating her swings made up for a strong encounter that ensured a step closer to glory.
But it was Violet’s sharp and powerful serves that proved the difference. Picking her moves with precision and power, young Apisah drove shards of brilliance down the Fijian line leaving no stones unturned.
“It feels great. Especially to do it with my aunty and my other aunty as a coach and official. It’s just a good feeling and honor to play all together for PNG as well,” “I played in the 2015 Pacific Games and got a gold medal for the Teams and a Silver and both for mixed and doubles.
“And I also played in Samoa and got a few medals there.
“It feels good to represent my country and play alongside my family as well,” “I think we will do well. I think recovery is the main thing to take care of. Just take care of our bodies, and make sure we are all good for the next games coming up.
Apisah said she was nervous in the lead up to her first match but after getting a few games under her belt, she felt better as the match progressed.
Team PNG Chef De Mission, Kila Dick was over the moon with the result. “I’m really excited for our Team PNG Women’s Tennis team to come out on top and get our first gold at the start of the competition.
“It’s a moral boost for all our other sports,” Mr Dick said.