Emmanuel retains CBN Tennis Open title, Quadre crowned new women’s champion
Finals
By Kayode Adebiyi
Abuja, June 29, 2019 (NAN) Defending champion and top seed Sylvester Emmanuel outclassed six-times champion Abdulmumin Babalola 6-4 6-4 to retain his CBN Senior Tennis Open Championship on Saturday in Abuja.
The men’s final which took place on the Centre Court of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, saw Babalola not fully himself.
Babalola who edged second seed Joseph Imeh 3-6 7-6 6-4 in their grueling semi-final fixture on Friday was obviously suffering from fatigue.
In spite of his enterprise and determination, Babalola lost the first set 4-6 to Emmanuel, who seemed to have taken to court with a definite game plan against his opponent.
In the second game, Emmanuel was cruising to victory but Babalola persevered and appeared to want to replicate how he won his semi-final game.
However, Emmanuel had other plans and knew he had to keep calm and take his chances to avoid taking the game to a third set.
He kept his calm and took the set 6-4 to beat Babalola to the title in two consecutive CBN Open finals and deny him a record-equaling seventh title.
In the women’s final, new kid on the block, Oyinlola Quadre, was too good for veteran Christie Agugbom.
She earned a routine 6-1 6-0 victory, with the win presenting her with her maiden title at the tournament.
Quadre, 16, who had been in her devastating best throughout the tournament, took only 40 minutes to disperse Agugbom and wrap up what was an awesome all-round performance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that students of at least five schools within the FCT were mobilised to the venue of the finals ostensibly to add colour to the event.
At a brief medal-presentation ceremony, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, said the bank was committed to making good use of Nigerian youths’ energy through sports.
Represented by CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okoroafor, Emefiele congratulated the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) and participants at the tournament.
He also disclosed that the 41-year-old CBN tennis tournament would be scaled up in the coming years.
“We will collaborate with the NTF to take this tournament to the next level. We brought it to Abuja for the first time last year to mark its 40th anniversary.
“This year’s event is the second edition in Abuja. Our plan is to make it bigger in the coming years,” he said.
In his remarks, NTF President Ifedayo Akindoju thanked the CBN for its commitment and consistency in sponsoring the tournament.
“41 years of commitment to ensuring that this tournament runs regularly is phenomenal.
“We have had some exciting revelations in this year’s edition and the quality has been outstanding. I want to thank everyone for their roles in this success,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Olusade Adesola, was represented at the event by Tayo Oreweme, a director in the ministry.(NAN)
KIA/STJ/OLAL
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh and Olawale Alabi)