Samuel Ndem from Imo State made an incredible comeback to win his opening match at the ongoing TPPA National Junior Tennis Tournament in Lagos.
The youngster who is one of the incredible talents from the eastern part of Nigeria was up against a formidable opponent in Adeiza Yakubu from Lagos State, and the boys’ U-14 match proved to be an incredible encounter.
Yakubu was cruising 3-0 in the opening set and was playing some clinical tennis but Ndem had other plans. The 2024 Azimuth Shipping Lines Junior Tennis Tourney finalist won five games on a bounce to escape a first set loss.
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In the second set, a rejuvenated Yakubu held his own, and took a 2-1 lead while psyching himself up to avoid another improbable comeback. Buoyed by the support of his mum and his siblings, the youngster took the second set and let out a huge sigh of relief.
In the final set, a match point tiebreak, Ndem was more ruthless as he left his opponent helpless on the court. The set ended 10-3, giving the Imo State athlete a chance to progress and top his group ahead of the semis.
Pre-tournament favourites, Yahaya Sani-Inabo and Mabubat Rasaki, playing in the Boys’ Youth and Girls’ U-12 categories, did not disappoint, as they won their matches with little or no stress.
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Sani-Inabo, the highest ranked Nigerian player at the event, defeated Lagos State’s Olabode Lawal 4-0, 5-3 while Rasaki from Oyo outplayed Bimbo Olowu from Niger 4-1, 4-0 to continue her dominance in the U-12 category.
Meanwhile, Salvation Alex from FCT bageled Bayelsa State’s Benjamin Alaere 4-0, 4-0 just as Tifanny Osho (Lagos) battled Blessing Babalola (Oyo) before winning 2-4, 4-1, 10-5 in a tense encounter.
Grace Oritingbeni from Ekiti State was made to pay for her inconsistency against Kwara State’s Khadijat Wuraola, a budding tennis sensation. Oritingbeni had taken the first set 4-0 but was pegged back by Wuraola who raced to her own 4-2 win.
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The Ekiti player, however, had the last laugh in the final set, as she claimed a 10-6 win to improve her chances of reaching the next round of the tournament.
The TPPA UTR-rated competition which served off on Monday, 4 August, will reach its final on Saturday, 9 August, inside the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, Lagos, venue of the championship.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep our readers updated on results and activities from the competition as they unfold.