Sosefo Toke, a 13-year-old tennis player from Lakepa, Tongatapu, has qualified for the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji this April. "My goal is to try my hardest in representing Tonga," said Sosefo.
The Form 2 student at Liahona High School, is the sole junior player from Tonga to have qualified for this event, so far.
Sosefo is excited to be representing Tonga for the first time. He credits his father, Sione Toke, also a tennis player, as his inspiration and role model, he told Matangi Tonga.
He acknowledged the challenges he faces in balancing his studies with his tennis training as he prepares for the Championships.
Head coach for Tonga at East Pacific Regional Qualifier under Tongan Tennis Association, Reuel Lavaka said this week they will find out if more local players will qualify through wild cards.
More competitions
Lavaka recently led 23 junior tennis players representing Tonga at the East Pacific Regional Qualifier Tennis Championships, held in Samoa earlier this month. This was Tonga's largest team ever at the event.
Lavaka said, “Tongan Tennis is only going up from here and I believe the sport will grow throughout the country as we work closely with sporting bodies in Tonga and throughout the Pacific to increase participation and competition."
Lavaka acknowledged the work of the parents, volunteers, the Tonga Tennis Association Committee (including President Carl Sanft and Tennis Patron Dr. Sione Latu), local coaches Teufolau Huni and Saia Tuifua and Team Manager and Tonga Tennis Secretary, Karen Fonua.
