For the second straight week, Guam’s Junhyuk “Kevin” Seo and Fremont “Monti” Gibson earned International Tennis Federation world ranking points in the 2024 Citadel Guam World Tour J60 Dededo junior tennis tournament at the Guam National Tennis Center.
“This tournament is an amazing opportunity for them to take advantage and excel and take their games to the next level,” said Guam National Tennis Federation President Torgun Smith.
Gibson earned her points in doubles, while Seo garnered his points in singles.
On Wednesday, in a boys’ singles match, Seo defeated Japan’s Kanari Izumisawa 6-2, 6-4. Then, on Thursday, in the round of 16, Seo lost to Japan’s Mao Tazuru 6-3, 6-3.
But for Seo, the scope of the matches was more than winning or losing. Competing at this level provided an opportunity to become a better tennis player.
“I learned how to rally and how to finish the point,” Seo said. “He was really high level.”
In a match that lasted nearly two hours, Seo and Tazuru ran each other side by side, exchanged strokes and battled under the blazing sun. As the match wore on, the 14-year-old Seo’s fatigue became apparent. In the last few games, Tazuru turned up the intensity and Seo didn’t adapt.
“He hit a lot of winning shots, more than the first set,” Seo said. “I got tired. I played a little bit lazy.”
On Thursday, in girls’ doubles, Gibson and Tahiti’s Mehetia Boosie defeated Japan’s Mirai Kameoka and Yori Utsuyama 7-6(2), 6-1.
Source: Seo, Gibson earn more ITF points
