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Japan’s Masato Shiga plays a forehand return to No. 5 Yuichi Ito in a semifinal singles match of the 2013 Lacoste GVB Futures at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa tennis courts. Shiga defeated Ito 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 for a spot in the singles final. (courtesy photo)
PRESS RELEASE – Japan’s Bumpei Sato saw an opportunity to close out the doubles final match and smashed it for a winner against compatriots and No. 1 seeds Yuichi Ito and Takuto Niki in the 2013 Lacoste GVB Futures at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa tennis courts.
Sato and partner Yasutaka Uchiyama, the No. 2 seeds in the doubles draw, won in close, straight sets 7-6(2), 6-4 over Ito and Niki, both of whom had just played in singles semifinal matches prior to their doubles finale.
In the day’s first match, Ito played an intense three-set match in the semifinals against fellow Japanese countryman Masato Shiga, but came up short 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. Shiga, a 21-year-old from Yokohama in the Kanagawa prefecture, avenged a previous loss to Ito in the quarterfinals of April’s Japan F4 Futures tournament. In Shiga’s run to the final, the unseeded, bespectacled player defeated Canada’s Eric Vehovec, dropped No. 3 seed and doubles partner Junn Mitsuhashi, then dismantled No. 8 Woong-Sun Jun’s game in the quarterfinals to set up the semifinal with Ito.
“I came into the tournament well-prepared mentally and physically,” Shiga said through a translator. “I have to believe I can win. In my matches, even if my opponent was ranked higher, I just tried not to make mistakes on my shots. To win in the final, I believe that good service returns will be key.”
Shiga will need an answer for No. 1 seed Saketh Myneni of India who has not yet dropped a set in singles play. Niki came close to stealing a set from Myneni in the semifinals, but the former Alabama Crimson Tide tennis standout denied his Japanese opponent, winning 6-4, 7-6(4) for his ticket to the finals.
The final singles showdown between Myneni, currently ranked No. 302 in the world and Shiga, ranked No. 995 in the world, will begin at 11 a.m. at Hilton. The community is welcome to watch. The tournament committee is selling tournament T-shirts for $10 each, as well as souvenir booklets.
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
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Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
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ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
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20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
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Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
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24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
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27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
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28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
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IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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