Nigerians, Abayomi Philips and Emmanuel Jebutu produced solid performances in their respective second round matches to advance to the quarter-finals of the Mozambique International Junior Championship in Maputo on Wednesday. Elsewhere in Dakar, Senegal, Marylove Edwards was edged in three sets.

Philips, who received a bye in the first round, got his campaign at the Grade 5 event underway with an impressive straight-sets victory over Egypt’s Ahmed Mohamed.

The 17-year-old Nigerian, who’s bidding for his second title on the ITF Junior Circuit this year, registered a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Egyptian to set up a quarter-final showdown with South Africa’s Andreas Scott- the 5th seed- who beat Thompson Thomu of Zimbabwe 6-1, 6-2.

In an earlier match at the Clube de tenis de Maputo, Emmanuel Jebutu claimed a straight-sets victory over Lucas Alexander of Mauritius. Jebutu, who’s seeded 8th, brushed aside the Mauritian in the first set before fending off a fierce challenge in the second to win 6-2, 7-6(5) and move into the quarters.

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Emmanuel Jebutu

Up next for Jebutu is Nathan Hoarau of France, who prevailed 6-3, 6-3 over Nikolai Hensberg of South Africa.

However, in the boys doubles, the pair of Philips and Jebutu, who had received a bye in the first round to move into quarter-finals, couldn’t progress any further as they were edged 6-4, 6-3 by the French duo of Nathan Hoarau and Elliot Roche.

Elsewhere in Dakar, Marylove Edwards was edged 7-6, 1-6, 6-4 by Amahee Charrier of France in the third round of the Senegal ITF Junior.

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Marylove Edwards

Also, Edwards and her doubles partner, Vania Dotse of Togo came up short in the quarter-finals of the girls doubles. The duo were beaten 6-2, 7-5 by Leylany Ipunesso of New Caledonia and Laura Wipfli of Switzerland.