4th June, 2010
Tournament number 2 seed and the defending champion, Abdulmumini Babalola was the latest to crash out of the 32nd Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Senior Tennis Open Championship.
He was sent packing in a quarterfinal match played yesterday at the tennis court of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.
Babalola, who earlier looked good to defend the Men’s Singles trophy he won last year before yesterday’s match, could not survive the powerful serves from fellow Davis Cup teammate, Shehu Lawal, as he fell in straight sets of 4-6, 2-6.
But his opponent in last year’s final, Sunday Emmanuel scaled the hurdles of the quarterfinal test, as he defeated Thomas Otu in an easy ride game that ended in straight sets of 6-2, 6-1. Candy Idoko also outstroked Taiwo Owolabi in another straight sets of 6-3, 6-1 to book a place in the semi final.
In the Women’s Singles, defending champion, Fatima Abinu, Christy Agugbom, Blessing Samuel and Anu Ayegbusi all qualified for today’s semi final games.
Meanwhile, the final ceremony of the tournament will hold tomorrow with the Women’s Singles final coming first between 10a.m. and 12noon. The Men’s Singles final will follow immediately. PM Sports gathered that top management staff of the sponsoring bank, CBN, are expected to grace the final, while the President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, Engr. Sani Ndanusa will lead other members of the federation to draw curtain on the tourney.
Over 200 players took part in the CBN Open this year.
—Taiwo Adelu