Tere-Apisah bags crown

PAPUA New Guinea’s tennis star Abigail Tere-Apisah has retained her title in the Queensland Open in the women’s singles division after beating Australia’s number one seed Lizette Faith Cabrera on Wednesday night at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane.
Not only did Tere-Apisah win the women’s single, she and her niece Patricia Apisah also won the women’s double in the tournament, beating Imogen Clews and Catherine Marina Krauger 6-3, 6-3 in the final.
Apisah beat Cabrera in sets (2-6, 7-5, 6-1) after dropping the first in the final on Wednesday night.
The Queensland Open tournament started last Saturday with 24 players, including Australian ace Cabrera.
Tere-Apisah, who was rated second seed in the tournament, was not alone but was joined by nieces Violet and Patricia.
Violet was able to make it into the finals after defeating her opponents in the first and second rounds and in quarterfinals but lost to Cabrera in the semi-final.
Tere-Apisah won all her matches in the women’s singles before the finale against Cabrera.
Tere-Apisah’s father and coach Kwalam Apisah was in the country when he heard the news of his daughter and nieces success at the Open.
He told The National: “Their victory is my victory and the country’s to savour.”
“It is a good sign for PNG tennis and should generate interest among the young generation.”