Even though neither of their teams was fortunate enough to win the 2017 edition of the NCC Tennis League, Joseph Imeh and Sarah Adegoke were among the biggest winners at the year-long tournament which climaxed on Sunday, 10 December.
Team Civil Defence pummeled Team Muller 4-0 in the final to win the tennis league for the first time after emerging as runners up in the first edition and came third in the second edition, a result which makes them about the most successful team in the league till date.
And it was a great day for Abdulmumuni Babalola and Clifford Enosoregbe, both of whom were in no small way instrumental to the enviable feat of making the Anambra-based team come out tops in the 14-team league.
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| Sarah Adegoke and Joseph Imeh display the trophies they won at the Rainoil Tennis Masters early in 2017. |
But Imeh, who has had an overall solid year in tennis, was adjudged the most outstanding player of the league as he did not lose to any player in the round robin stage, showing class in all his home and away matches.
He was unfortunate to have lost the finals of the Dala Hard Court tournament to Thomas Otu, but has proven to be one of Nigeria’s finest players of 2017 and deservedly got the award as the most outstanding male player.
Adegoke, who maintained her place as Nigeria’s number one player, was also adjudged the most outstanding female player of the 2017 edition of the league after impressive displays all year long.
Others who got one award or the other include Emmanuel Jebutu (Most outstanding junior player – boy), Marylove Edwards (Most outstanding junior player – girl), Ikechukwu Iloputa (Most improved player – male) and Patience Onebamhoin (Most improved player – female).
Teams Goshen of Ilorin and Techvibe were both adjudged the best home and away teams respectively for their hospitality and their show of sportsmanship throughout the duration of the tennis league.
With the league coming to an exciting end, the players will now shift their focus to the Rainoil Tennis Championship which will serve off on Monday, 11 December at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, and end on Sunday, 17 December.
Most of the players may struggle with the first stage of the tournament as they are not really used to the clay surface where the championship will be played.
Nigerian Tennis Live will be at the tournament to give you updates of the players’ performances and the progress of the competition.