Pauline serving her mark in tennis

By JAMIE HARO
A star is emerging from the code of tennis since her first encounter at the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.
Turning 16 years old this year, Papua New Guinea’s young talent Pauline Hyun is defying all odds to make her mark in the code within the region and beyond.
Recently winning the Oceania Tennis Federation (OTF)-sanctioned West Pacific Regional Championship Under-16 title, she is primed to take one game at a time as she sets focus on her next tournament.
“My recent encounter from West Pacific Regionals was good, it was a bit tough but I played my best and fought through to the end to win all my matches and make the finals,” Hyun said.
Hyun, who picked up the racquet and started playing at the age of 10, has made three appearances at the West Pacific Regional Championships where she won the U14 girls singles title on debut at the 2022 version in Lautoka Fiji and a doubles with her current teammate Leah Nepheline.
In last year’s championship hosted in Port Vila, Vanuatu, she experienced her first competition in the U16 division and came in as a runner-up to her opponent from Fiji however, that did not let her down as she continued to train.

“It was an emotional moment, being so young and playing amongst elite players but luckily I had coach Abigail who was there throughout the whole process and that helped us win a bronze medal. A first for me I should say”

Hyun’s journey into the national team that year started with the inaugural PNG Junior Tennis Open tournament in Port Moresby where the national junior team was selected.
Apart from attending the WPRC, she made her second appearance at last year’s Pacific Oceania Junior Championship with remarkable results.
She competed in the 2023 Port Moresby Racquets Club (POMRC) Open and was fortunate to be named in the national team that would prepare and compete in the Pacific Games set for Solomon Islands.
“I was fortunate to make my debut in last year’s Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. For the singles, it was a tough comp for me, having played against the best and elite players from other countries,” she said.
However, in the women’s doubles, she had the privilege to pair up with the defending Pacific Games gold medalist and PNG veteran Abigail Tere-Apisah to win her first bronze medal.
“It was an emotional moment, being so young and playing amongst elite players but luckily I had coach Abigail who was there throughout the whole process and that helped us win a bronze medal. A first for me I should say,” she said.
Hyun picked up on that experience and took it to the 2024 WPRC in Lautoka and won her 2024 U16 girls singles title and a silver medal in the doubles with Nepheline. She is now focused on getting her training up a notch for her third Pacific Oceania Junior Championship which will be held in Lautoka again in July.
“So my next focus is to compete in the Nation’s Cup but the main priority is to train for the POJC in Fiji again which I am really looking forward to,” she added.
A tennis star in the making, Hyun would like to inspire the younger kids to stay committed in the sport and it will take them everywhere as it has done for her.
“My message to the juniors who are starting now is to never give up, trust the process, stay committed and the results will pay off,” she said.