Nigerian youngsters moved into the doubles final in the individual event at the ITF/CAT African Junior Championship qualifiers in Lome, Togo on Wednesday.
Teenage sensation, Marylove Edwards made great partnership with Ivory Coast’s Blanche Minet to beat the Ivorian duo of Sadjo Coulibaly and Jauress Kouwame 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 in Wednesday’s girls U16s doubles semifinals.
For the doubles title in that category, Edwards and Minet, who claimed the NTF International Junior Championships doubles title in Abuja in November last year, will take on the duo of Rebecca Ekpeyong and Oiza Yakubu in Thursday’s final.
Ekpeyong and Yakubu teamed up impressively to defeat the Beninese pair of Rodia Noudogbessi and Marie Tsawlassou.
In the boys U16s category, David Dawariye and Canice Abua proved too good for the Ghanaian pair of Richard Okine and Ishamel Dowuona, with the Nigerians running out 6-0, 6-4 victors to book their place in the final.
Dawariye and Abua will take on Franky Jolman and Angel Koudio of Ivory Coast in Thursday’s final.
In the boys U14 doubles, Mohammed Idris and his partner, Gandounou Rodrique of Benin were beaten 6-2, 6-3 by the Congolese-Ghanaian pair of Eytan Miessen and Abubarkar Yakubu.
It, however, wasn’t the best day for the Nigerians in the singles event, as Mohammed Idris and Mubarak Ganiyu fell short in their respective boys U14 semifinal contests. Idris had taken a first set lead against Lameck Bagerbuch, but the Ghanaian rallied to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Ganiyu also fell in three sets against Yakubu Abubarkar, losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Elsewhere in the girls U16 singles semifinals, Oiza Yakubu lost in straights sets, 6-2, 6-2, to Blanche Minet of Ivory Coast, while Marylove Edwards came up short against Ivorian, Amang Kouame 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
The battle for a third place singles finish in the girls U16s will see Marylove Edwards and Oiza Yakubu go head-to-head on Thursday.
