Main draw action for the second leg of the NTF International Junior Championships gets underway on Tuesday in Abuja, with top seed, Abayomi Philips and last week’s beaten finalist, Musa Mohammed, headlining.
Philips, who fell short in the quarter-finals of the first leg last week, will resume his bid for a second ITF title this year, when he takes on lucky loser, Gaddafi Yakubu in the day’s opening match on Court 2. The 17-year-old had claimed the GTFLifetime Athletic Open title in Accra, Ghana, in August.
Musa Mohammed, who finished as runner-up to Canice Abua in last week’s event, will be aiming to reproduce another strong week. Having come through the qualifiers, the 17-year-old now takes on Joseph Peter for a place in the second round.
In other match-ups, 3rd seed, Emmanuel Jebutu, who made the semifinals last week, goes head-to-head with Ojente Azamata on Court 3. Before then, though, Michael Osewa, who’s seeded 4th, will square off against Mustapha Kabir. Michael Emmanuel will meet Elisha Olowogbile with a place in the second round on the line, while David John confronts Britain’s Abdulraheem Isa.
Gabriel Friday, who posted an impressive run to the semifinals last week, begins this week’s campaign against David Ekpenyong, while Peter John takes on Uche Emeruwa.
Rebecca Ekpenyong and Omolayo Bamidele are the only players in action in the girls field on Tuesday. Both girls will face off for a place in the second round. Ekpenyong reached the semifinals in the first leg and will fancy her chances of making a good start this week.
Matches begin from 10:00am at the National Tennis Centre in Abuja.
Tuesday’s Order of Play
Well I wish Elisha folarin olowogbile all d best