Bright Emmanuel showed why many young Nigerian players avoid coming up against her on the court in her first ever Junior ITF match.
The Apapa Tennis Club player was up against Success Ogunjobi in their R16 match and made life difficult for the tournament’s number six seed in their three set encounter.
Emmanuel lost the first set 2-6 against the rampaging Ogunjobi, but it was her fight in the second set that stunned spectators inside the Package B of the National Stadium, venue of the tournament.
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The TPPA-UTR National Youth Champion came back from 1-5 in a losing position to win six games on the bounce including saving several match points when her opponent was 5-2 up and serving 40-15.
Bright, regarded as one of the most consistent players on the court, will face Alisha Ndukwu, the competition’s number two seed, in the quarterfinal of her first ever ITF Junior competition.
Also, Seyi Ogunsakin proved to be a really solid player when he came up against Yulin Li of China in their R16 encounter on the centre court.
The younger Ogunsakin was a pound-for-pound worthy opponent for the Chinese player and went toe-to-toe against him in the match.
The 15-year-old Chinese player won the first set 6-4 against his less experienced opponent, but it was Ogunsakin who took the game to his opponent in the second set to win 7-5.
Li had to retire from the match after suffering a muscular discomfort and could not continue with the game, allowing Ogunsakin coast into the quarterfinal in his first ever junior ITF competition.
Jeremiah Benjamin, also of the Apapa Tennis Club in Lagos, made sure he handed Kwame Entie, his opponent from Ghana, an unprecedented defeat on his first ever ITF Junior event.
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The Ghanaian, who is the tournament’s number six seed, was defeated by the crafty and witty Jeremiah in two sets of 7-6 (1), 6-1 to set up James Benjamin who proved too much for David Edwards as he defeated the Lagos-based youngster 7-6 (4), 6-3.
The boys’ and girls’ number one seeds, Daniel Adeleye and Ohunene Yakubu will have to win their matches against Blessing Otu and Franklin Jimoh respectively, to stand a chance at reaching the semis of the tournament.
Nigeria Tennis Live will bring all our readers up to speed with all the latest developments from the matches at the ongoing event in Abuja.