Joseph Imeh has again dealt Abdulmumuni Babalola a huge blow by denying the number two ranked Nigerian player a place in the Main Draws of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship.
Imeh had, since his loss to Babalola in the Senior CBN Open final, vowed to take his pound of flesh against the dark-skinned, southpaw player, and has done this in grand style, even on the ‘international’ stage.
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| Joseph Imeh is fast becoming a nightmare for Abdulmumuni Babalola after winning for the second consecutive encounter. |
The former junior tennis star beat his fellow Davis Cup teammate in the NCC League a few weeks ago in two straight sets and was drawn against the Ibadan-based Nigerian tennis pro in the second round of qualifiers for the second week of the ITF pro-circuit in Lagos.
And in their match on Sunday afternoon, to determine who joins other Nigerians in the Main Draws, Imeh inflicted a huge blow on Babalola, playing to the final set before confirming his victory over the power playing CBN Open reigning champion.
Babalola won the first set 6-4, but Imeh was rather ruthless in the second set, racing to a 5-0 lead before succumbing to a game and taking the set 6-1 eventually.
When the final set resumed, Imeh was also quick to break the left-handed Babalola to put himself in a pole position to emerge victorious in the match, but was twice pegged back by Babalola’s experience and some mistakes of his own.
After a serious tussle on the court, Imeh broke Babalola again in the final set and won 6-3 in a match which lasted over one hour.
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