Apisah, Hakena pair dominate

THREE tennis athletes – Abigail Tere-Apisah and siblings Sugar-Ray and Colita Hakena – have been recognised for their achievements last year to be named as finalists for the SP Sports Awards.
Apisah’s outstanding performance at the Pacific Games has seen her shortlisted for the female athlete of the year category, while the Hakena siblings, who were runners-up for the junior male and female category last year are once again in contention for the honours.
The top seeded star for Papua New Guinea recorded a three-peat gold medal performance last year in the Pacific Games women’s singles last year.
Apisah first won gold in the singles event when PNG hosted the Pacific Games in 2015 then went on to defend her title in the 2019 Games in Samoa with her performances in multiple regional events saw her become the top seeded singles player in the Pacific.
Now she has three consecutive gold medals in the women’s singles event at the Pacific Games.
Along with her singles gold, Apisah also won gold in the mixed doubles event with Mathew Stubbings and a bronze in the women’s team with Pauline Hyun at the 2023 Games.
The Solomon Islands Games was a little different for the tennis star who had her son Luca and partner Alwin Komolong supporting her while she competed.
“Life doesn’t stop after being a mom and that’s one of the main reason why I wanted to make sure that nothing stopped me from competing after I had my son,” Apisah told this paper in Honiara.

“I have a very supportive family that enabled me to work and be able to have my own career as well as coming here (to the Pacific Games) to compete.”
For the Hakena siblings, both had an eventful 2023 with Colita topping the U14 girl’s division title at the Victorian Grasscourt Championship in Australia. She went on to excel at multiple regional events throughout the year making her the highest ranked Under-14 female player in the region.
Her older brother Sugar-Ray was exceptional, making his mark at tournaments in Australia and around the region.
Federation president Barbara Stubbings said 2023 was a busy but successful year for tennis from juniors through to the senior ranks.
“The Pacific Games was the pinnacle for tennis, winning two gold and two bronze, as well as debuting four juniors into the senior teams,” Stubbings told The National.
“It was also a great year for coach education with two coaches attaining level one certification and one coach, Abigail Tere-Apisah, attaining level two certification. Abigail becomes the first woman in the Pacific region to reach this milestone.
“In juniors we had success at both the West Pacific Regional Championships and the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships.
“Colita Hakena continued to go from strength to strength, which has resulted in her selection in the 2024 ITF scholarship programme.
“Like most sports, we continue to look for sponsors to help us continue to grow the game of tennis in PNG.”