Held in December in at the PGA National Resort and Spa and the BallenIsles Country Club in Florida, the 10th annual “Little Mo” Internationals attracted 430 players from over 50 countries. Two players walked away from the event with the biggest trophy in junior tennis, having won the “LIttle Mo” Slam International titles in California, New York and Florida. The 2016 “Little Mo” Slam champs are Akasha Urhobo of Lauderhill, Florida (girls 9) and Yubel Ubri of Miami Beach, Florida. Next year’s “LIttle Mo” Slam begins at the “Little Mo” International at the Woodbridge Tennis Club in Irvine, California from June 30-July 4.
With an emphasis on competition, friendship, sportsmanship and fun, the “Little Mo” tournaments attract the best juniors from around the world kids the chance to play others the same age, and offering green dot divisions for ages 8, 9 and 10. Johan Kriek was the guest speaker at the Florida International, with the Johan Kriek Tennis Academy presenting a clinic. Other singles winners in Florida came from countries ranging from Russia, Estonia and Latvia to Venezuela, Jamaica and Ecuador as well as the United States. They are: Tito Chavez (boys 8, green dot); Marcel Latak (boys 8); Zackary Kimelman (boys 9, green dot); Jordan Reznik (boys 10); Yaroslav Demin (boys 11); Christian Gonzalez (boys 12); Jacobi Bain (“Big Mo” boys 13); Oskar Hakonen (“Big Mo” boys 14); Mariangel Estrella (girls 8, green dot); Alyssa James (girls 8); Sarah Gutkowski (girls 9, green dot); Tatiana Georgie Lorich (girls 10, green dot); Valeriga Kargina (girls 10); Maria Popova (girls 11); Isabella Colmenares (girls 12); Vasalisa Lisina (“Big Mo” girls 13) and Polina Ramenskaja (“Big Mo” girls 14).
