Tunisia-bound national junior players will be the centre of attraction as the final of the MP Tennis Championship holds today at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja.
The five-day clay court tournament is serving as the final build-up for Nigerian players to the forthcoming African Junior Tennis Championship serving off on Monday in Tunis, Tunisia.
Martins Abamu, who will be representing the country in the Boys’ U-16 category, is the overwhelming favourite for the title, while Micheal Ayoola and Michael Oshewa, who will be competing in the U-14 are also in pole position to clinch the final places.
In the girls’ U-16 category, Angel McCleod looks unstoppable to clinch the top prize but she is expected to be given a tough match by her Team Nigeria teammate Oyinlomo Quadri.
13-year-old Quadri was the only player to bag two gold medals for Nigeria at the West & Central Africa Circuit which served as qualifier for the AJC in January in Lome.
Meanwhile Serena Teluwo will battle Reya Holmes in one of the semifnal matches of the girls’ U-10 billed for Friday while Oyinkansolami Doruwoju and Mary Udofia clash in the other semifinal.
Serena, who is regarded as another star-prospect by national junior coach Mohammed Ubale, topped her group by beating Doruwoju 4-2, 4-2 and Basirat Okunola 4-0, 4-0 in her opening group matches before finishing the day with sheer perfection with another 4-0, 4-0 win over Ozia Yajubu.
Gabriel Ekundayo and Joseph Fortune will battle for a place in the final of the Boy’s U-10 with the winner confronting the victor of the tie between Kehinde Ganiyu and Stephen Akpanke.
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