With the VICTOR Oceania Championships 2025 in full swing, day one saw fierce competition and standout performances as players across the Pacific battle for team glory and a ticket to the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, this April.
Australia and New Zealand come into the tournament as favourites and are dominating early, but Fiji, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands can’t be overlooked. As the competition heats up, the underdogs are hinting that they have the potential to disrupt expectations.
MORNING SESSION:
Mixed Team Division
Australia lined up against Fiji in the first tie of their campaign. Fiji played with courage and spirit but the Falcons proved too strong, winning the tie in straight games.
Meanwhile, New Zealand looked strong on the court against Tahiti. However, in the men’s singles match, Tahiti challenged the hometown team.
Kiwi Chris Benzie took the first game comfortably, before Antoine Beaubois rallied back to even the score in the second. Benzie stayed calm under pressure to regain control of the match and won the final.
New Zealand went on to win the rest of the contests, with a tie score of 5-0.
Pacific U15 Invitation Team Challenge
After three days at a U15 Development Camp, the region’s up-and-coming athletes were ready to put learnings and hard work to the test.
Immediately, Wallis and Futuna made their mark on the competition. The first-timers took an early lead against the Cook Islands, winning the first two matches in straight games. The Cook Islands fought their way back, taking the next two games convincingly. In the fifth and final match, Wallis and Futuna showed poise and tenacity as they battled to take the final match, winning the tie 3-2.
Guam were not going to make it easy for New Caledonia. Despite the Guam team being the youngest in the competition, they produced some great rallies and showed their new skills. However, it wasn’t enough, the New Caledonian team won the tie 5-0.
AFTERNOON SESSION:
Mixed Team Division
Fiji started strong against the Cook Islands, winning the men’s singles in straight games. In a back and forth, Cooks rallied back to take the women’s singles before Fiji stormed to both men’s and women’s doubles victories. The mixed doubles was close, but the Cook Islands surged last minute to a win. Fiji won the tie, 3-2.
Australia went from strength to strength, holding off Tahiti for a 5-0 straight win.
Pacific U15 Invitation Team Challenge
Carrying on their form from the morning session, Wallis and Futuna looked to push the Northern Marianas team. However, it wasn’t enough. In an electrifying contest, the Northern Marianas Islands dug deep and took out the win 3-2.
Guam fought hard and were rewarded with a match point in the women’s singles, but the Cook Islands soon relaxed into a rhythm, cruising to a 4-1 tie win.
COMING UP TOMORROW:
Tomorrow morning the Cook Islands take on Australia on court 1, while Fiji and New Zealand go head to head on court 2.
In the U15 competition, it’s a battle of the session 2 winners, as the Northern Marianas Islands faces the Cook Islands in what is sure to be a close contest.
New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna will square off on court 4.
Game play starts at 10AM NZDT.
Livestream link: https://bit.ly/4ho9WPp
