Superb Edwards and Quadre cruise into J5 Abuja quarter-finals

First leg winner, Marylove Edwards, and Oyinlomo Quadre both made the perfect start in their respective matches. 

Top seed, Oyinlomo Quadre eased her way into the quarter-finals of the NTF International Junior Championships with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Omolayo Bamidele.

Quadre, playing for her 3rd ITF Junior title of the season this week, wasn’t troubled, as she claimed a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Bamidele, who was hoping to reach her first career quarter-finals on the ITF Circuit.

Up next for Quadre is Switzerland’s Jade Haller, who proved too hot for Mariam Salami, winning 6-0, 6-0.

At the bottom half of the girls draw, 2nd seed, Marylove Edwards, who claimed the singles title in the first leg last week, also produced a powerful performance to make the perfect start this week. The 14-year-old swept aside Morenikeji Durowoju of Austria for a 6-1, 6-0 win and set up a quarter-final date with her compatriot, Jesutoyosi Adeusi, who beat Charity Patrick 6-2, 6-4.

Elsewhere, David Dawariye bettered his first leg’s performance by beating Suleiman Ibrahim in three sets to move into the quarter-finals. The 15-year-old got off to a slow start, but recovered just in time to secure a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Abayomi Philips, who’s seeded No. 1, and Canice Abua, the first leg champion, also had to fight back from a set down to advance to the quarter-finals.

Philips bounced back from an opening set loss against David John to take a tricky second set before crusing through the third set for a 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-2 victory and stay on track for a second ITF title this year.

Elsewhere, Canice Abua’s staggering run of 12 consecutive set wins came to an end after Rubi Toba snatched the first set. However, Abua found his best tennis in the second set to restore parity before running away with the final set for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win- his seventh straight victory so far, in Abuja.

For a place in the quarter-finals, Abua will take on 3rd seed, Emmanuel Jebutu, who outclassed Ojo Fredrick 6-3, 6-0.

In other matches, Moroccan 2nd seed, Assil Boussayari was rock-solid against Gabriel Friday, beating the Nigerian 6-2, 6-3 to book a quarter-final showdown with Musa Mohammed. Mohammed, runner-up in the first leg, kept up his impressive form to dismiss Elisha Olowogbile 6-2, 6-1.

5th seed, Joshua Aji prevailed 6-2, 6-1 over Peter John to reach the quarter-finals, where he will face Wilson Igbinovia, who knocked out Michael Osewa 6-2, 6-1.

In the doubles event, Edwards and Quadre began their partnership on a fine note; the duo making light work of Charity Patrick and France’s Iantsatiana Ratovondrahona 6-1, 6-3 to reach the girls semifinals, where they will face the pair of Toyin Asogba and Naa Mckorley if Ghana, who came from a set down to beat Joy Samuel and Naomi Samuel 4-6, 6-2, 10-5.

Jesutoyosi Adeusi and Omolayo Bamidele defeated Morenikeji Durowoju and Rebecca Ekpenyong 6-3, 6-2 and will next face Jade Haller and Blanche Minet, who eased past Serena Teluwo and Oiza Yakubu 6-1, 6-2.

In the boys doubles, Emmanuel Jebutu and Abayomi Philips advanced to the semi-finals, following a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Abdulraheem Isa and David John, while Michael Osewa and Musa Sani combined effectively to claim a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Suleiman Ibrahim and Siddharth Tirupati.

Elsewhere, the Nigerian-Ghanaian duo of Musa Mohammed and Desmond Ayaaba thrashed Joshua Aji and Rubi Toba 6-1, 6-2, while Assil Boussayari of Morocco and Nigeria’s Gabriel Friday won 6-1, 6-3 against David Ekpenyong and Ivan Wularu.