National players dominate at Country Club tourney

Tunisia-bound national junior players will be the centre of attraction as the final of the MP Tennis Championship takes place 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 the 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.