Peter Ubiebi gave a very good account of himself but was still on the losing side when he battled Ayoola Ozen in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Azimuth Shipping Lines Limited Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos.
The 10-year-old was the cynosure of all eyes inside the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos, where the competition is taking place, as he hit three aces even though he lost the match in two straight (short) sets.
Ubiebi, son of Aces Tennis Academy Founder, Coach Abel, was cheered on during the match for how well he composed himself in spite of the loss.
“I just like the way he plays, he’s a very good player. He just needs to work on his temperament.
“For his age, he has a very good serve, and he has a really strong forehand, “ one of the spectators who watched him take on his opponent had said during the match.
Ndidi Osaji, in the girls 12 & Under, was under pressure in her match against young Mofifunoluwa Atilola, but she came out tops after a final set tie.
Osaji, arguably the best in her category in Nigeria, won the first set of the encounter, but fell to Atilola in the second. She, however, regained her composure to see of the match in a keenly contested tie break.
The youngster is now looking forward to her encounter against Benjamin Favour for a spot in the final of the competition.
As at the time of filing this report, the boys and girls 16 & under matches were underway, including one involving national number one junior, Mubarak Ganiyu.
The fourth edition of the competition which kicked off on Tuesday, 11 January, will climax on Saturday, 15 January, 2022.