In a match that ended almost before it started, Nigeria’s Ayomide Oduwaye defeated America’s Mehdi Herraz in his first match at the J30 Abuja ITF event.
The Ogun-born tennis youngster who won the Rock Tennis Foundation national U-16 junior championship in January, 2024, won the match in two straight sets of 6-0, 6-0.
Spectators inside the centre court of the tennis section inside the national stadium in Abuja, venue of the event, were treated to some beautiful and deadly forehand strokes by Oduwaye, a National Youth Games star.
With the win, the youngster also ensured that he gave himself a lifeline in the competition which has some really good players in the Main Draw.
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In the second round, he will now be up against the number one seed and Nigeria’s top U-18 player, Daniel Adeleye.
While asking if he thinks the defeat of Herraz means he can win the ITF event, Oduwaye said: “It does not mean I can win the tournament o, there are many tough players in the competition.
“Daniel Adeleye, Mubarak, Seun, they are really good players in this tournament and it will be tough to defeat any of them.”
Herraz, who was playing in his first ever ITF event, described his opponent as a really good man, and a tough player to play against.
“I was born in the United States, but I primarily live in Morocco,” the 14-year-old began when he spoke with Nigeria Tennis Live.
“This is a really tough player and a good man, I did not feel bad to have lost against him,” he added, while speaking on the loss to the Nigerian player.
Nigeria Tennis Live will continue to update all our readers on the latest information from the ITF-sanctioned event holding in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital.