Abigail and Marcia Tere-Apisah are sisters from Papau New Guinea who both took their talents around the world to play women’s tennis at Georgia State.
Abigail Tere-Apisah, known amongst the team as Abby, is a senior in her final season while her sister is a freshman who just wrapped up her first fall season.
Papau New Guinea, where the sisters grew up, is a country in the Pacific just above Australia.
“It’s a beautiful and very diverse country,” Abby Tere-Apisah said. “We grew up in a neighborhood with lots of kids, and so we were always on the streets with friends and would come home late.“
Abby Tere-Apisah and Marcia Tere-Apisah left Papau New Guinea when each were 10 years old to further their education and tennis careers.
When it came time to think about college, Abby Tere-Apisah said she met a Georgia State tennis player who told her about the program and the city of Atlanta, something that drew her to Georgia State.
“I didn’t really care, to be honest, if [Georgia State was] ranked or not ranked,” Abby Tere-Apisah said. “I just chose it because it was in the city and it’s different from back home. I wanted a change.”
Marcia Tere-Apisah is a soft-spoken freshman who joined the team in the daunting shadow of her accomplished older sister. However, Marcia Tere-Apisah said she does not feel any added pressure having to live up to her sister.
“I wanna be better than her,” Marcia Tere-Apisah said, making her sister and Coach Robin Stephenson laugh. “I want to be No. 1 when she’s gone.”
Abby Tere-Apisah is quite accomplished. Even before starting her collegiate tennis career, she played in several junior tennis championships such as the junior Australian Open.
Now, in her senior year, she has received numerous awards and recognitions, including Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year and the 2012 CAA Player of the Year.
In addition, Abby Tere-Apisah is the highest-ranked female athlete in Georgia State history. If she moves up in the collegiate tennis rankings into the top five, she will be the highest-ranked Georgia State athlete in the school’s history.
“I guess since I’ve been here I’ve really improved a lot,” Abby Tere-Apisah said. “Since [Coach Stephenson] has come in and all the change in practices and conditioning in ways that really helps a lot. I think it’s really contributing.”
Marcia Tere-Apisah has had plenty of successes of her own, competing in several junior tournaments. She won the 2009 and 2013 Fiji Open and made it to the finals of the Air Pacific South Pacific Open Junior Championships in 2013.
Surprisingly, the two successful sisters don’t butt heads too often on the court, according to Stephenson.
Abby Tere-Apisah said if her sister struggles in a match, she may step in and coach her. Marcia Tere-Apisah, on the other hand, said her older sister isn’t as willing to take tips.
“She won’t listen,” Marcia Tere-Apisah, said joking with her sister.
Coach Stephenson says it is a positive influence to the team to have the sisters on the team, especially with Marcia Tere-Apisah following in her sister’s footsteps.
“They’re both so laid back and great team players,” Stephenson said. “Abby with all the accomplishments she’s had, she’s more interested in what the team does, and I think that Marcia has got the same personality.”
The women’s tennis team’s spring season is underway, and Coach Stephenson said she is excited to see where this season’s team will go.
“Over the fall I think we really found what roles everyone plays,” Stephenson said. “I think just working on same things we’ve been doing over the fall and getting better as a team and becoming more of a unit.”
The team’s next match is Jan. 29 against Mercer University at the Atlanta Athletic Club.
