The Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) has allotted the hosting of the ITF/CAt 12 and Under West and Central Africa Junior Championship to Nigeria. The tournament which is expected to feature no fewer than 12 countries will hold in Lagos from April 25th – 30th. Nigeria Tennis Federation President, Sani Ndanusa, who disclosed this at […]
via Nigeria To Host ITF/CAT Junior Championship — newfanzoneblog
Nigeria on Friday won four gold and three silver medals in the doubles events of the 2016 ITF/CAT West and Central Africa Junior Championships holding at the National Tennis Centre, Abuja.
In the Boys’12&u doubles final, Daniel Adeleye and Sulaiman Ibrahim defeated Kabba of Togo and Kamara of Sierra Leone while in the Boys’ 14&u, Michael Osewa and Friday Gabriel paired to beat their fellow Nigerians Saminu Abubakar and Musa Sani 7-6 (3), 6-4.
in the Girls’ 16&u, Adetayo Adetunji combined with Angel McLeod to beat Mattu Kamara of Sierra Leone and Linda Eloundou of Cameroun 6-0, 7-5 to clinch the title while in the 14&u, Barakat Quadri and Marylove Edwards saw off Anna Lumengo and Manuella Eloundou of Cameroun 6-3, 6-4.
Nigeria however, had to settle for silver medals in the Boys’ 16&u as Christopher Itodo and Peter Lawal lost to Dalmas N’tchaa of Benin and Jacques Sewavi of Togo 6-4, 6-2.
It was the same story in the Girls’ 12&u as Timiprie Maxwell and Rebecca Ekpeyong succumbed to Sedjo Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire and Indira Maffo Ronkan of Gabon 1-6, 6-4, 10-5.
The final of the tournament which is featuring 12 countries will be played on today with Nigeria competing in the 16&u final for boys and girls while there will be an all-Nigeria final in the boys’ 14&u singles as Osewa faces Gabriel while Quadri and Edwards clash for the girls’ 14&u title.
The other singles final involving two Nigerians is between Adeleye and Ibrahim in the boys’ 12&u. The championship which features 10 countries serves as qualifier for the African Junior Championship in Pretoria, South Africa in March.
Host Nigeria continued her impressive showing at the ongoing ITF/CAT West and Central Africa Junior Championship in Abuja on Wednesday with majority of the players advancing to the knockout stage of the 12-nation tournament billed to end on Saturday.
South Africa-based Adetayo Adetunji opened the floodgate of triumphs for Nigeria as she outplayed Linda Elondou of Cameroun, who is based in the US, 6-1, 6-0 to keep her perfect record in pool A of the girls’ 16&U while Angel McLeod beat Aichata Keita of Mali to also preserve her unblemished record in pool B of the category.
Timipre Maxwell beat Cameroun’s Patricia Wamba 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 to qualify from the girls’ 14&u and Rebecca Ekpeyong also progressed to the knock-out stage by beating Naa McKorly of Ghana 6-0, 6-0.
Ekiti state junior champion, Daniel Adeleye edged Ghana’s Kenneth Adzokatse in a tough match which ended 5-7, 6-3, 12-10 to stay on course for the boys’ 12&U title.
Tunisia 2015 Africa Junior Championship bronze medallist, Michael Oshewa maintained his superb form as he whitewashed Souleymane Quattara of Cote d’Ivoire 6-0, 6-0 to set up a semifinal clash with Charles Alipoe of Togo, a 7-6, 6-3 winner over Musa Sani of Nigeria.
A mouth-watering semifinal clash in the Boys’ 16&u on Thursday will see Nigeria’s Christopher Itodo face Frederic Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire after both players defeated Felix Hammond of Ghana 6-3, 6-3 and Peter Lawal of Nigeria 6-7, 6-0.
in the boys’ 14&U, Friday Gabriel also defeated Cameroun’s Paul Wamba 6-0, 6-0 to set up a semifinal match-up against Eliakin Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire, who outsmarted Saminu Abubakar of Nigeria 6-2, 6-4.
Nigeria’s Marylove Edwards on Tuesday continues her great display in the 2016 ITF/CAT Africa Junior Championships West & Central qualifiers with an impressive 6-0, 6-1 win over Serena Geli of Togo as the 12-nation tournament holding at the Tennis Centre of the National Stadium Abuja reaches its crucial stage.
The 10-year-old who is known for her double forehand and double backhand has been one of the standout performers in the 12-nation tournament having beaten her previous opponents from Ghana and Nigeria with the same score line to top her pool.
She is now on course to face her compatriot, Oyinlomo Quadri, who returned to winning ways by beating Naa McKorley of Ghana 6-1 6-2. Quadri, 12, who is now based in Morocco on a year-long ITF scholarship, suffered a shock 6-4, 6-0 loss to Patricia Wamba of Cameroun in her first match.
Nigeria also had it good in the boys’ 14&u as Michael Osewa posted a 6-1, 6-1 win over Cameroun’s Paul Wamba while Gabriel Friday and Musa Sani both triumphed 6-4, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-2 against Charles Alipoe of Togo and Louis Nyarka of Ghana in the same category.
Osewa, who got bronze at the main AJC in Tunisia last year expressed confidence of winning the category while also hoping to do the same in the AJC billed for Pretoria, south Africa in march.
He said: “I’m good enough for the title here in Nigeria. My major focus is how to win the AJC title in South Africa because the two players that were above me at the last AJC from Morocco have moved to the 16&u.”
In the girls’ 16&u, Nigeria’s Angel McLeod and South Africa-based Adetayo Adetunji also maintained their good form by winning 6-0, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-0 against fellow Nigerians, Chidinmma Ezeh and Mariam Alli-Balogun
Christopher Itodo also matches on with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Isaac El Haya of Cote d’Ivoire in the boys’ 16&u same as Peter Lawal who defeated Jaques Sewodo of Togo 6-4, 7-6 in a match that lasted over two hours.
Nigeria’s Daniel Adeleye, Saminu Abubakar and Oiza Yakubu all lost their matches against their opponents from Togo, Gabon and Mali respectively.
Angel McLeod on Tuesday made a winning return to competitive tennis following the death of her mother by beating Mattu Kamara of Sierra Leone 6-2, 6-3 as the 2016 ITF/CAT Africa Junior Championships West & Central Africa qualifiers continue in Abuja.
The right-handed 15-year-old endured a torrid start to the round-robin girls’ 16&u match as her Thailand-based opponent hit some early winners but she responded with great effect hitting her own winners in-between a couple of aces to the delight of the spectators which include NTF President Sani Ndanusa, CAT Zone 2 Vice President, Yemi Owoseni and Athletics Federation of Nigeria(AFN) boss Solomon Ogba.
Nigeria’s Adetayo Adetunji also got a 6-2,6-2 win over Fatoumata Kaita of Mali while Christopher Bulus and Christopher Itodo both secured wins over Fetege Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire and Felix Hammong of Ghana 6-2, 6-1 in the boys 16&u. Ibrahim Souleyman also beat Amza Kabba of Sierra Leone 6-0, 6-2.
The major shock of the day saw Nigeria’s Oyinlomo Barakat Quadri lost 6-3,6-0 to Anna Lemongo of Cameroun.
“It was a very poor match for me; I know I could have done better because I beat her in straight sets at the main AJC in Morocco last year. I will work harder to qualify from the group,” the12-year-old said as she look towards her next match against Naa McKorley of Ghana on Tuesday.
Nigeria’s dominance of the tournament met further resistance as David Amusu lost 6-3, 6-4 to Benin’s N’tcha Delmas while Chidinma Eze and Favour Moses were beaten 6-0,6-0 and 6-2, 7-5 by Aichata Keita of Mali and Vania Dotze of Togo respectively.
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