February 23, 2026, 2:00 PM HST
August Kiʻili of Wailuku Junior Tennis Club.
Maui junior tennis players recently competed in the first-ever International Tennis Federation (ITF) 18-and-under tournament held on Maui.
The event took place at the Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch and brought together players from around the world. Countries represented included the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Luxembourg, South Africa, Japan, Korea, India and the United States.
The 18U level is the highest level of junior tennis before players move on to professional events. Many top pros, including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek, played ITF junior tournaments during their development.
August Kiʻili of Wailuku Junior Tennis Club and Peter Lopez of Kīhei.
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Maui players who qualified and competed included Peter Lopez of Kīhei, Violet Kato, Dillon Keller, Makena Keller and August Kiʻili of Wailuku Junior Tennis Club.
Dillon Keller and Makena Keller of Wailuku Junior Tennis Club.
Kiʻili, a 14-year-old eighth grader at Kamehameha Middle School, was the youngest athlete in the tournament.
“This tournament was a great experience for me to see the level of some of the best players in the world and where I stack up — what I’m doing well and what I need to improve,” Kiʻili said.
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For Maui players, having an ITF event on island was a rare opportunity. Most Hawaiʻi athletes must travel to the mainland or overseas to compete at this level. Hosting the tournament locally gave Maui juniors the chance to compete against internationally ranked players without leaving the state.
ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors.