Tere-Apisah set for Asia-Pacific tournament

 By MELTON PAIS

Papua New Guinea tennis ace, Abigail Tere-Apisah, will be one of the strongest contenders at the Asia-Pacific Tennis tournament which starts next week in Melbourne, Australia.

Tere-Apsiah is training in  Brisbane in preparation for the tournament after completing the Queensland Money Race tournament from January 7-11 at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Tennis Centre.

With only 16 players taking part, she was able to defeat her opponent Alekasa Cveticanin 6-3, 6-3 in round two to advance to the semi-finals.

In the semi-final, Tere-Apisah defeated Anna Wishink 6-2, 6-1 and advanced to the grand final against top seed Zuzana Zlochova but lost 2-6, 2-6. 

She told father and PNG tennis coach Kwalam Apisah after the grand final that she gave her best in the contest.

“It was a tough match,” she told her father.

Apisah commanded his daughter for making it to the grand final after defeating 14 of her opponents. 

“I am very much proud of my daughter for her improvements in tennis straight after winning four gold medals for PNG during the Pacific Games in Port Moresby last July,” Apisah said.

“She is doing great.”

He wished his daughter good luck in the tournament.

Apisah said his younger daughter, Marcia Tere-Apisah, had resumed her classes in Chicago in the United States last week.

“She is getting tennis classes and training hard in preparation for the 2019 Pacific Games in Tonga,” he said.