Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Joella Ioane and Hermann Thomsen recently competed in the Albury Tennis Association's Margaret Court Cup in Melbourne, Australia, as part of Team Pacific Oceania. This team comprises junior players from various Pacific island countries and territories.

Team Pacific Oceania includes eight other players from Tahiti, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), Guam, Cook Islands, and two players from Fiji.

These players were invited at the end of last year by the Grand Slam Player Development Program (GSPDP), the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the Oceania Tennis Federation (OTF) to join the GSPDP/ITF/OTF team for a series of prestigious tournaments and events in Albury, Australia, from January 1st to January 16th, 2025.

According to Team Pacific Oceania coach Krishneel Kumar, Joella demonstrated remarkable resilience in the U12 Girls Singles Premiere Series Finals. She put up a great fight before narrowly losing to Australian Emily Liang 6-4, 4-6, 6-10, and had to settle for the silver medal.

Hermann, on the other hand, showed strong effort in the U12 Boys Doubles Junior Series. However, his journey ended in the semifinal after a thrilling close encounter.

Pacific Oceania coach Krishneel Kumar commended his team's efforts and dedication, which were evident as they held their own against some of Australia’s top competitors, giving them a genuine run for their money.

"Witnessing our players improve their skills and performance throughout the tournament was incredibly encouraging and satisfying, culminating in significant advancements in the final matches," Coach Kumar remarked. "I would also like to thank my colleagues, Coach Ruby Coffin and Assistant Coach Eddie Mera, for their tireless efforts to instruct and encourage our players to perform their best."

Coach Kumar specifically praised Joella and Hermann for their unwavering fighting spirit, even when their opponents were leading. However, he noted that certain factors may have prevented them from reaching their peak performance.

One such factor was their first experience competing on a grass court, which may have affected their game plan. Additionally, the intense heat posed a significant challenge for players, umpires, ball boys/girls, and coaches alike.

The Fiji-based coach also expressed gratitude to the players' coaches and federations in their respective countries, as well as their families, school teachers, and community members for their unwavering support.

Team Pacific Oceania proudly bagged four gold medals and one silver medal.

In the Margaret Court Cup Teams Event, Pacific Oceania was divided into two teams competing in two divisions. Division 1 Team put up a commendable effort but narrowly missed out on qualifying for the finals. The Division 2 Team, comprising Mareko Webb, Hermann Thomsen, Joella Ioane, and Anne Lee, clinched the Division 2 Teams Event title.

Samoa News reached out on social media to Joella's parents, Joe and Leuila Ioane, who are traveling with the team.

"We are so proud of her for maintaining her fighting spirit throughout the entire game, which truly stood out here in Albury, Australia," said her proud dad. "Her determination and belief in herself have made a lasting impression! A heartfelt thank you to all the Leota Lu families from Melbourne for your unwavering support. We also want to extend our gratitude to OTF and ITF for supporting our kids, especially her coaches, Neel and Ruby from Fiji. Your contributions mean the world to us!"

The couple accompanied their daughter to Australia after she narrowly escaped the devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake, which struck near Vanuatu's capital, Honiara, last month and killed more than 10 people.

Joella was part of the American Samoa Junior Team that competed in the 2024 Vanuatu Regional Championships.

"One of the buildings that collapsed housed a supermarket and the Western Union office where they used to shop and withdraw money from," Ioane said. "Joella and her group left Vanuatu at about 7 am, and the earthquake struck at 12:47 pm!

"So we have agreed to try and accompany her or her sister Joelei to international competitions to provide moral support and just be there for them. It's expensive, but they're chasing their dreams, and that's something worth sacrificing for."

The next fixture for Team Pacific Oceania is the Wodonga Tournament in Melbourne, Australia.