Alex Adewale and Wasiu Yusuf kept Nigeria’s flag flying at the 2nd Puma Engineering Wheelchair Tennis Championship in Abuja on Thursday following their qualification to the semi-finals of the ITF World Series event, Nigeria Tennis Live has gathered.
Top seed and defending champion, Adewale, eased past Abdallah Athman of Kenya 6-2, 6-1 to set up a meeting with Tanzania’s Novartus Temba, a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 conqueror of Kazeem Akanbi of Nigeria.
Yusuf, who alongside Adewale are the doubles champions of the last edition, saw off compatriot Rasak Bankole 6-1, 6-1 to keep a date in the last four of the $3, 000 prize money event (facilitated by Africa Wheelchair Tennis president, Engr. Sani Ndanusa) with Kenya’s Collins Omondi who defeated Human Hamisi of Tanzania.
Nigeria is guaranteed a place in the women’s final as Kemi Oluwasegun and Chituru Nwaozuzu face off in the semi-finals.
Oluwasegun survived the test of fellow Nigerian Vivian Ozurumba 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 while Nwaozuzu battled past Jane Ndenga of Kenya 6-1, 6-3.
Women’s title holder Kafayat Omisore also got the better of Kenya’s Asiya Sururu 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and will face Lucy Shirima of Tanzania who triumphed 6-3, 6-1 over Bridget Jarret of Ghana.
Nigeria’s coach Frank Tarmena is positive about a clean sweep of the top prizes stressing the team won’t take their opponents for granted.