Defending champion Emmanuel Michael, Abua Canise, Yusuf Abubakar and Jimoh Joseph have qualified for the men’s singles semifinals of the ongoing 47th Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Tennis Championship gradually, which comes up today at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

In the semifinals, the men’s singles top seed, Abua Canice, will face Yusuf Abubakar in the opening game, while defending champion Emmanuel Michael (seeded 3) will face unseeded Jimoh Joseph in the second semifinal.

The winners of the matches will battle for the top prize tomorrow.

In the women’s singles category, top seed Mohammed Khadijat will be up against Ogunjobi Success in the first semifinal, while seed 2, Emmanuel Essien Bright, will meet seed 5, Bassey Etoro, in the second semifinal.

To get to this stage of the championship, Mohammed Khadijat defeated Godwin Favour, 2-0 ( 6-0, 6-1), while Ogunjobi Success beat Udofia Mary, 2-0 (6-2, 6-0).

In the men’s singles wheelchair category, Ajani Idowu defeated Odunuga Pelumi to the semifinals.

In the women’s singles wheelchair division, the defending champion, Usoh Andrea, is drawn alongside top seed, Nwaozuzu Chituru.

The men’s and women’s doubles events are also in the semifinals, with some of the notable pairings being the duo of John David and Jimoh Joseph, Akagha Samuel/ Uwandu Charles and Micheal Emmanuel/Sylvanus Ajano.

Meanwhile, tournament seed 2, Adeleye Daniel, who qualified for yesterday’s semifinals, abandoned the championship for an international competition in Italy.