Daniel Adeleye was at his very best during the Men’s Final match at the just concluded FHA Tennis Masters event in FESTAC.
The Rainoil Senior Tennis Championship finalist got the better of his opponent, Canice Abua, in two emphatic sets of 6-2, 6-1, to go home with the N500,000 prize money.
Abua, Nigeria’s number two ranked player, could not reproduce the form which saw him defeat towering Ikechukwu Iloputa in the semis, where he won in two straight sets.
The Women’s final was a huge fight between Bright Emmanuel and Etoro Bassey – two of Nigeria’s brightest tennis prospects, in a match of little margins.
Emmanuel, who also played the Women’s Singles final at the Rainoil Senior Tennis Championship in Ikoyi, Lagos, a few weeks ago, was in a very brilliant form all afternoon as she took a 4-1 lead early into the game.
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Bassey, fresh from her Singles and Doubles gold medals win at the Niger Delta Sports Festival, rallied back to tie the game at 4-4 and had the advantage to take a 5-4 lead but her drop shot fell back into her side of the net.
Emmanuel, a National Youth Games gold medalist for Lagos State, would later take the first set to a loud cheer from the excited audience.
In the second set, GUEF Tennis Academy’s Bassey took a 3-1 lead and seemed to be cruising before her opponent fought back into the game to build a 4-3 lead and continue to capitalize on Bassey’s unforced errors.
The match later ended 6-4 in favour of the Apapa Tennis Club player, who let out a loud scream after taking the match point courtesy of another unforced error by Bassey.
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Members of the FHA Tennis Club who were excited to have hosted some of the best players in Nigeria promised to continue supporting tennis in Nigeria and hold more competitions of this nature.
Mr. Godwin Kienka, the organizer of the tournament, was also full of praise for the sponsor, Mr. Walter Akpani, and the hosts for putting up such a great atmosphere for the players to compete.
Attention will now shift to the Lagos Tennis Cup, another Top 8 event scheduled to hold from 21-27 April, 2025, inside the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan Lagos.