No love lost: USTA Junior Tournament returns to Hawaii

It’s been more than a year since a United States Tennis Association-sanctioned junior tennis tournament has been held on the Big Island, and even longer — as far back as the 20th century — since the Royal Kona Resort in Kailua Village hosted a USTA event.

Both droughts ended this weekend at the Royal Kona Resort Memorial Day Junior Tournament.

“I think the last tournament we’ve had was January of 2020 in Hilo, the last time we had a junior tournament for the Big Island kids,” said Nicolas Yamasaki, head referee for USTA on the Big Island. “This is great for them to be able to knock off that rust and start getting back into it.”

Thirty-five kids from the Big Island, Maui, Oahu and even California competed in a three-day round robin format tournament — the first held in Hawaii since the pandemic struck — in three boys’ and three girls’ divisions: 12 &under, 14 &under and 16 &under.

Hilo athletes swept the top spots on the girls’ side, with Chloe Takahashi winning the 16 &under division, Sola Bando taking the 14 &under division and Annika Nishida taking first in the 12 &under division.

For the boys, Oahu and Maui athletes took home titles. Wailuku’s Justin Powell won the 16 &under division, followed by Kailua’s Noah Gruvin at 14 &under and Waipahu’s Joshua Nishimiya at 12 &under.

A trio of West Hawaii athletes placing second included Andrew Moe of Kamuela in the boys’ 16 &under division, Keoni Roth of Holualoa in the boys’ 14 &under division and Spencer Wolman of Kamuela in the boys’ 12 &under division. Maile-Lei Ji of Kamuela also scored a second-place finish in the girls 16 &under division.

“I’m just happy to host an event like this, whether it’s historic or not,” said Royal Kona Resort’s director of tennis Albert Murata. “Just to see the kids come out and play a normal tournament again; it’s nice that we had this much participation and could hold it all at one site.”