Mofifunoluwa Atilola cemented her spot in the Girls U-16 final after defeating Destiny Tomizayi in the semifinals of the ongoing Adewale Isa Foundation (AIF) National Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos.
Atilola who does not turn 12 until October, won the match 6-1, 6-2 to reach her first U-16 final at the AIF tennis championship after emerging as a finalist in the Girls’ U-14 category at the 2024 edition.
Atilola will now play against Precious Ohimai in the final after the Edo State youngster defeated Bisola Ogunkolade 6-3, 6-3.
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David Edwards and Chukwudubem Amasiani put up an exciting match that lasted 2hrs 36mins on the centre court of the tennis section at the National Stadium, Surulere, venue of the competition.
Both players who were aiming to reach the Boys’ U-16 final evened the game out before playing a final set match tiebreak to determine the winner.
Edwards came back from being 1-5 down in the first set to win 7-6(4) and was leading 3-0 in the second set before Amasiani won six straight games to take the second set 6-3.
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In the ensuing tiebreak, Abuja-based Amasiani saved two match points and was within seconds of taking the game to 9-9 but his his forehand a bit too hard, leaving his opponent as the winner of the match.
Marvelous Bolarinwa defeated Gbolahan Olawale 7-6(10), 7-6(2) in the other Boys’ U-16 semifinal and will face Edwards for a shot at the title.
Meanwhile, Oluwadabira Oluwaseyi and Mabubat Rasaki will play the Girls’ U-12 final while the Boys’ U-12 final will be contested by Emmanuel Ogungbe and Kingsley Godwin.
In the Girls’ U-12 semis, Oluwaseyi outplayed Zara Adegoke 6-0, 6-1 just as Rasaki outlasted Grace Oritingbeni from Ondo State 6-2, 6-2.
Ogungbe defeated Izaka Godwin 6-0, 6-3 while Godwin beat Emmanuel Sandaf 3-6, 6-1, 10-6 in the Boys’ U-12 semifinal matches.
The final of the AIF National Junior Tennis Championship will serve off by 10am on Saturday, 30 August, 2025, inside the tennis section of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.