A Fiji tennis hope shines as 16-year-old Sina Izumi competes in the Vodafone Suva Open, aiming to inspire the next generation of girls on the island’s tennis courts.
Izumi, who has represented Fiji in several international events, is not just playing to win but to show that girls her age and younger can flourish in tennis. She views her Suva home ground as a platform to encourage more female participation in the sport and to prove that consistency and confidence on court are key to success.
“I hope they look up to me because I try to be an inspiration to younger children, especially girls, since we’re playing in Suva, which is my home ground,” Izumi said. “There are ups and downs in tennis, so I’d tell them to stay consistent, be confident, and work hard, because tennis is a great sport.”
Izumi made a notable impression at 14 when she carried Fiji’s flag at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands. That experience, she says, helped sharpen her focus and lifted her game, even as she admitted she was nervous at first. “Going there I was really nervous to play at first, but as I played more matches, I got used to it. I was really young, so a lot of my confidence came from that,” she recalled.
Tennis runs in Izumi’s family, and she grew up watching the sport before embracing it herself. The fervor around the Suva Open — a tournament that has grown to attract players from across Fiji and beyond — is part of a broader push to strengthen grassroots tennis in Fiji and the Pacific region. The event is closely tied to ongoing efforts to boost female participation and to provide more competitive opportunities for juniors, including the introduction of junior grades in recent years.
The Suva Open is also supported by active sponsorship and development programs that aim to broaden access and improve pathways for young players. In addition to showcasing local talent, the tournament reflects Fiji’s broader strategy to nurture homegrown players who can compete on regional stages and potentially earn ITF ranking points.
Her confidence buoyed by international experience and a supportive tennis community, Izumi is focused on using her platform to encourage more girls to pick up a racket and pursue sport with dedication and discipline. Her performance in Suva serves not only as personal ambition but as a beacon for aspiring female players around the country.
Summary: Sina Izumi’s participation in the Vodafone Suva Open highlights a growing movement in Fiji to develop young tennis talent and to promote female participation, with the event feeding into broader grassroots and sponsorship-supported efforts to expand opportunities for junior players in the Pacific.
Positive note: The continued investment in junior programs and regional events signals a hopeful future for Fiji’s tennis landscape, with young players like Izumi leading the charge.
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