The ongoing VEMP National Open Championship in Abuja has recorded a number of unprecedented upsets during the second round of matches.
Mevi Irimiya, Mubarak Ganiyu and Suwa Nenrot all shone like stars during their second round matches to book their spots in the quarterfinals of the national tournament in Abuja.
Oyo State’s Ganiyu shocked Musa Mohammed, a top 10 national player with a final set win 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 that sent shock waves among the tennis spectators who watched the match on court five of the tennis section inside the tennis section of the National Stadium in Abuja.
He will be playing against Daniel Adeleye in the quarterfinal after the Lagos-based tennis star defeated Franklin Jimoh 6-3, 6-3 in their second round encounter.
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The second upset of the day happened when emerging youngster, Nenrot, defeated highly-rated tennis star, Stella Udokwellu, in two amazing sets.
Nenrot bageled her in the first set with a sensational 6-0 win before sealing her first ever appearance in quarterfinal with a 6-1 win in the second. She will be looking to book her spot in the semis when she takes on Omolayo Bamidele in the quarterfinal.
Bamidele was made to fight for her quarterfinal spot after battling Goodnews Aina to win 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a terse second round match.
The match of the day was the tie between Irimiya and Iloputa Ikechukwu, the number four seed, which lasted over two hours on court one of the tennis section of the Stadium.
Irimiya, one of the players at the Naija Leap Sports Academy, took the first set 6-4 before being pegged back 3-6 in the second set. The final set was a clash of the titans as it ended in a tiebreak affair for both players.
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Despite serving for the match at 5-3 in the final set, Iriimiya could not hold serve, as he handed the initiative to his opponent who took the game to 5-5 before the match wore into a tiebreak.
The point match tiebreak was also going in favour of the wild card entrant Irimiya, as he took a comfortable 6-1 lead and was serving for the match, but Ikechukwu saved three match points and was on the brink of dragging himself back into the game.
The youngster had the last laugh against his very experienced opponent, and will be playing in his first ever quarterfinal match against Lucky Danjuma, who was also clinical with a final set win over Paul Egena. The match ended 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Etoro Bassey defeated youngster Emmanuella Ishaku to 6-1, 6-0 to set up a quarterfinal clash against Blessing Omotayo, her Doubles partner, who bested Blessing Anuna in her second round match that ended 6-2, 4-2(rtd).
The Nigerian number one seed, Khadijat Mohammed, will faceoff against Success Ogunjobi in the quarterfinal after both players defeated Lovetth Ogah and Khadijat Salami respectively with 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, 6-2 wins.
Mary Udoffa and Favour Moses will be playing the last quarterfinal match after seeing off their opponents in the second round, While Udoffa defeated Timipre Maxwell in two sets of 6-0, 6-1, Moses went past Lucky Loser Bunmi Are with a 6-2, 6-2 win.
Former Nigerian number one player, Uche Oparaoji, will be up against fellow Davis Cup teammate, Michael Emmanuel, in what will be an interesting match up in the quarterfinal after both players shone like millions in their second round matches.
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Oparaoji defeated emerging youngster, Ezekiel Azi 6-2, 6-0 while Emmanuel got the better of Abdulsalam Mohammed 6-2, 6-2 to advance.
Number one seed, Canice Abua will face tough playing Yahaya Sani-Inabo in another exciting quarterfinal match up after defeating Michael Chima 6-1, 6-2. Sani-Inabo, meanwhile, hurt Endurance Ehigiamusoe with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep all our readers updated on the developments from the quarterfinal matches which are expected to serve off by 9am on Thursday, 10 July, 2025.