Oyinlomo Quadre on Sunday evening, defeated Michael Ayoola, in an exhilarating exhibition match at the VGC Sports Club in Lekki, Lagos.
The Nigerian number one female player was quicker from the blocs from the start, defeating her junior counterpart 6-2 in less than an hour to claim the first set.
But Ayoola, buoyed by home support, rallied in the second set, and from 2-5 down, matched Quadre stroke for stroke, hitting several winners, to win four games on the bounce and race to a 6-5 lead.
In spite of the home support from the cheering club members at the tennis section of the VGC Sports Club, Quadre got back into the game and got a deserved win to tie the set at 6-6.
The ensuring tie breaker was more or less like a one-sided affair as the African top junior tennis star proved to be mentally tougher than her formidable opponent, winning 7-2 to wrap up an interesting evening of tennis action.
There were cheers of congratulations and commendations for both Quadre and Ayoola, both of whom were overwhelmed by the intensity of the game after being match rusty for the better part of the past two months.
The match lived up to the billing of Mr. Shina Atilola, the tennis enthusiast who put the exhibition game together.
Both players, who are familiar with each other’s style of play, smiled through the win and defeat and were glad to have slugged it out on their first return to court since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world.
The match is also Quadre’s first in about four months even though she has been practicing with her coach, Abel Ubiebi and fellow youngster, Serena Teluwo since the lockdown was eased a few months ago.
Nigeria Tennis Live will publish the players’ reactions in subsequent editions of our daily update, to our teeming followers scattered across the world.