Apisah sisters eye gold

By HENRY MORABANG in Noumea
PAPUA New Guinea will play New Caledonia today for the gold medal in the women’s tennis doubles at the Quen Toro tennis court in Noumea.
PNG comprising the Apisah sisters, Abigail and Marcia, won 2-0 against Samoa to set up a date with hosts, New Caledonia.
The Apisah sisters beat Samoan sisters Kim and Steffi Carruthers 6-4, 6-0.
In the other semi, New Caledonia’s Eloide Rogge and Anaéve Pain beat Samoan pair Maylani Ah Hoy and Tagifano Soonalole 2-0 (6-4, 6-2).
New Caledonian Anaéve Pain who stopped Abigail’s run for a medal in the singles event will now partner Eloide Rogge in the doubles in what is expected to be a classic showdown.
In the singles gold medal playoff, it will be an all New Caledonian affair when Anaéve Pain faces her compatriot Eloide Rogge.
Father and coach Kwalam Apisah was happy with the win in the doubles event.
However, he was upset that the result in the singles did not go their way.
He also said it would be a close encounter in the playoff for the gold but the New Caledonian pair would have the home crowd advantage.
Apisah said it was a pity that PNG’s No 1 tennis player Mark Gibbons was hospitalised with chicken pox, throwing everything into chaos.
He said young Michael Foo, who stood in for Gibbons, played strongly but it was not the right combination for the competition.
Apisah commended Foo for putting up a brave face to partner Abigail in the mixed double and Lochlan Kitchen in the men’s doubles.
In the men’s doubles yesterday, Michael Foo and Lochlan Kitchen lost to Tonga 6-3, 6-3, and in the mixed double; Michael Foo and Abigail lost to Samoa 6-2,6-7, 4-6.