Women top seed at the ongoing Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Championship, Blessing Samuel yesterday cruised into the quarter finals when she beat Omolade Aderemi 7-5, 6-4 while number two seed, Christy Agugbom also recorded a two straight win over up-coming CBN junior Tennis champion, Oiza Yakubu.
Yakubu breaks into the senior ranks for the first time to join the likes of Marylove Edward and Angel McClod who are currently in the United States of America and Oyinlomo Quadri.
Yakubu who was unlucky to have been drawn against the national No 2 seed in her first game, got the first baptism of fire when she was bundled out in two straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.
Agugbom who was in her best form ever, faces Favour Moses in the quarter finals while top seed, Blessing Samuel engages unseeded Omotayo Osewa in the Round of 8.
Also in the women’s quarter finals are Aare Bunmi who engages Jumai Mohammed while Mary Tenu-Michaeli battles tournament fifth seed Aanu Aiyegbusi.
Meanwhile, in the men category, Shehu Lawal yesterday defeated Abubakar Jaminu 6-2, 6-0 to join the men’s singles second round train where the top seed, Sylvester Emmanuel and number two seed, Imeh Joseph are already waiting.
In the men’s doubles event, men’s top seed, Sylvester Emmanuel paired Clifford Enosoregbe to beat the duo of upcoming junior players, David John and Godgift Timibre in two straight sets and same goes to the duo of men’s seed 2, Imeh Joseph and Christian Paul as they beat the pair of Samuel Jonah and Kayode Savage 6-4, 6–4 to advance to men’s doubles Round of 16 as well.
Ikechukwu Iloputa also paired Maxwell Kesiye to record their men’s doubles victory over the duo of Osewa Michael and Olajimbiti Michael as Albert Bikom paired Nonso Madueke to beat Tosin Akinwunmi and Braimo Musa.
Action will commence in that wheelchair tennis category today.
