Quadri upsets top seed at CBN Senior Tennis Championship

Rising junior tennis sensation, Oyinlomo Quadri yesterday created a major upset at the  on-going 41st Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Open Senior Tennis Championship when she defeated tournament top seed, Blessing Samuel 2-0 ( 6-1, 6-1) in their quarterfinal clash in Abuja. The win gave Quadri a semifinal ticket.

Unseeded Oyinlomo, who entered the tournament through a wild card granted her by the Nigeria Tennis Federation, kept no one in doubt concerning her mission in this year’s tournament when she defeated number three seed, Airhunwunde  Osariemen 6-0, 6-0 in one of the second round matches to come face to face with the number one seeded Samuel.

Having proved bookmakers wrong, Oyinlomo said she wasn’t surprised that she beat the top seed because she also defeated her at the National Sports Festival held in December 2018 in Abuja.

Women number two seed, Christy Agugbom did not disappoint her fans as she recorded a two straight sets 6-1, 6-3 win over another junior player, Omolayo Bamidele in their quarterfinal match, while Blessing Anuna beat Bukola Olowu 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Aanu Aiyegbusi outplayed Jumai Mohammed 6-2, 6-3 in another quarterfinal encounter to also claim a semi-final ticket.

According to the fixtures, giant killer, Oyinlomo Quadri will face Blessing Anuna in the first women singles semifinal, while Christy Agugbom will battle with Aanu Aiyegbusi in the second semifinal.
 
In the men’s singles category, top seed and defending champion, Sylvester Emmanuel defeated Oche Adeyi 7-5, 6-0 to cruise into the quarterfinals, just as number two seed, Joseph beat Christian Paul 6-2,  6-3 to also move into the last eight.  

In other matches, six-time winner, Abdulmumuni Babalola beat Joseph Iyorhe 6-2, 6-3, Nonso Madueke outclassed Idoko Emmanuel 6-3, 6-1, Thomas Otu stopped Albert Bikom 7-5, 6-3, while old warhorse, Shehu Lawal dropped Uche Oparaoji, 6-2, 6-3.

The men’s singles quarterfinals and semifinals will be played today, just as the men’s and women’s doubles finals as well as the wheelchair events finals, also come up today ahead of Saturday’s grand finale, which holds at the Package ‘B’ of the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.