Team Nigeria continued their impressive run in the team event at the ongoing ITF West and Central African Junior Championships in Lome, Togo, as they defeated their opponents without any iota of doubt.
In the first round of matches, the team had made a minced meat of their opponents, even though they appeared to be tough. And if the first round of matches ended on good notes, the second round was even better, albeit with a loss to hosts Togo.
The U-16 boys got the team underway with a rampaging defeat of out of sorts Burkina Faso. Kushimo defeated Quedreaogo 6-0, 6-0, Mukhtar won Nezien 6-2, 6-1 and in the doubles, Matthew Abamu partnered the UK-based Mukhtar to hand the Burkina Faso pair a 6-1, 6-0 defeat.
This result could, however, not be replicated when the U-14 boys took on Togo as the hosts were out to make a point.
Ibrahim Suleiman lost his keenly contested match against Padio in three sets of 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 while Maxwell was well beaten by Dogbefu in two straight sets of 0-6, 4-6. The doubles, however, proved to be Nigeria’s strong point in the game as the Nigerian duo partnered to crush the Togolese pair of Dogbefu and Gakpo 6-1, 6-4.
The Nigerian U-16 girls pose for a photograph before their doubles match against Burkina Faso. Nigeria won in two straight sets.
Nigeria Tennis Live gathered that the Nigerian girls were quite clinical and deadly in their matches against their Burkina Faso counterparts, as they won their matches convincingly.
Rebecca Ekpeyong opened the flurry of victories for the Nigerian U-16 team. She defeated Bamouni Josephine 6-2, 6-2, Mary Udoffa also won against Marie Rafiaotu and the Nigerian girls partnered to win 6-2, 6-3 in the doubles.
The U-14 Girls appeared to be more deadly on court against their Ghanaian opponents, as they shone like stars during their matches. Iye Onoja beat Lorezia 6-1, 6-0, Oiza Yakubu thrashed Aniva 6-0, 6-1; Onoja and Serena Teluwo then partnered to defeat the Ghanaian pair 6-4, 6-0 to hand team Nigeria a massive boost ahead of the next set of matches.
With these results, Team Nigeria recorded 3-0 wins over Burkina Faso in the Boys and Girls U-16, a 3-0 defeat of Ghana in the Girls U-14, and a 1-2 loss to Togo.
The matches continue today as the Nigerian boys and girls U-16 and the boys U-14 take on Benin Republic respectively.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep up with the report from Togo, where the tournament is nearing its business end.