Top seeds Joshua Maxwell, Seyi Ogunsakin, and Mary Udoffa on Saturday qualified for the final of the CBN Junior Championship going on at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club
The three alongside seven others will feature at the Grand Finale of the week-long tournament on Sunday.
2nd seed Joshua Maxwell facing Ganiyu Mubarak in the Boys 16 semifinals, won 9-5 to set up a final meeting with David Ekpenyong who dispatched Moses Olamilekan in a 9-1 comfortable victory. It is the second time both players will faceoff at the tournament. A group stage victory over Maxwell on Friday ensured that Ekpenyong finished top of his group.
In the battle of the two top seeds from the Girls 16 and Under, number 2 seed, Mary Udoffa made light work of Top seed Oiza Yakubu. Yakubu came into the match with a 100 percent record from the group stage but quickly fizzled out under the dominance of Udoffa who won 9-1. Up next for her in the final is Blessing Otu that had to dig deep in her win 9-7 victory of Salamatu Haruna. Otu and Udoffa had earlier met at the group stage with the former winning 9-3.
Meanwhile, the top seed from the Boys 12 and Under, Seyi Ogunsakin is on course to win the title as he beat Arwal Jaji to reach the final against David Edwards on Sunday. Ogunsakin won 9-4, his 4th victory of the tournament, while Edwards eased in with a 9-3 win of Mohammed Jubril.
Also, the other half of the Ogunsakins, Seun followed in the footsteps of his junior by reaching the final of the Boys 14 and Under. The 2019 Boys 12 and Under champion and top seed didn’t have much to do in the 9-4 win of John Nubari. Waiting for Seun Ogunsakin in the final is Mohammed Idris who defeated Lucky Danjuma 9-5.
From the Girls 14 and Under, top seed Nene Yakubu has a final date with Amarachi Ezeh. Ezeh after beating 2nd seed Favour Ameachi in the group stage continued her brilliant display with another comfortable 9-3 victory over Mary Azi, while Yakubu defeated Khadijat Mohammed 9-1 also on Saturday.
With the players confirmed for the final, all is now set for Sunday’s Grand Finale of the 14th CBN Junior Championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. The tournament, organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the International Tennis Academy (ITA) is the first in the ITA’s circuit for 2020.
FULL RESULTS OF SEMIFINAL MATCHES
Boys 12 and Under
David Edwards bt. Mohammed Jubril 9-3
Seyi Ogunsakin bt. Arwal Jaji 9-1
Boys 14 and Under
Seun Ogunsakin bt. John Nubari 9-4
Mohammed Idris bt. Lucky Danjuma 9-5
Boys 16 and Under
Joshua Maxwell bt. Ganiyu Mubarak 9-5
David Ekpenyong bt. Moses Olamilekan 9-1
Girls 14 and Under
Nene Yakubu bt. Khadijat Mohammed 9-1
Amarachi Ezeh bt. Mary Azi 9-3
Girls 16 and Under
Mary Udoffa bt. Oiza Yakubu 9-1
Blessing Otu bt. Salamatu Haruna 9-7
FINAL FIXTURES
Boys 12 and Under
Seyi Ogunsakin vs David Edwards
Boys 14 and Under
Seun Ogunsakin vs Mohammed Idris
Boys 16 and Under
Joshua Maxwell vs David Ekpenyong
Girls 14 and Under
Nene Yakubu vs Amarachi Ezeh
Girls 16 and Under
Mary Udoffa vs Blessing Otu