The trio of Abayomi Philips, Emmanuel Jebutu and Marylove Edwards all fell short in their matches at the ongoing Junior ITF Circuits in Maputo, Mozambique and Dakar, Senegal.
Nigeria Tennis Live reported that the players were making giant strides in their matches, but their best was not good enough for their campaign in the competition. They both lost in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
Philips, seeded two, was upset by a South African, Andreas Scott, the tournament’s number five seed even though he put up a serious fight against his South African opponent. He lost the match (5)6-7, 6-2, 3-6.
On his part, Jebutu was nowhere near his rampaging opponent, Nathan Hoarau from France who thrashed him in two straight sets of 6-1, 6-4, a result which certainly ended his adventure in the week-long event.
Edwards who was one of the top seeds in the Dakar tournament, was the other Nigerian player defeated by a lower ranked player in the third round of the competition.
The US-based teenager who was the number seven seed in Senegal, was dumped out of the competition in the final set against France’s Amahee Charrier, the number ten seed, in a 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-4.
With these results the youngsters will now focus on the fast approaching Junior ITF Circuit in Abuja. Philips and Jebutu who are already seeded for the competition, will be expected to lead the Nigerian charge for victory.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep monitoring the activities of the Nigerian youngsters from all parts of the world.