Yahaya Sani-Inabo made history yesterday by progressing to the Round of 16 at the ongoing VEMP National Open Tennis Championship for the first time, following a hard-fought victory over Matthew Abamu.
The match, held at the National Tennis Centre within the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, saw Sani-Inabo secure a win with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-7, 3-0 (retired) in the men’s singles Round of 32.
Sani-Inabo began the match confidently, taking the first set 6-2. However, Abamu showcased his resilience by clinching the second set 7-6 after a tightly contested tiebreak. The momentum shifted again in the third set, where Sani-Inabo was leading 3-0 when Abamu was forced to retire, conceding the match.
Looking ahead, Sani-Inabo is set to face either Endurance Ehiegiamusoe or Ayomiposi Agboola in the next round.
Commenting on his performance, Sani-Inabo expressed his gratitude, stating, “It wasn’t easy, but I thank God. I just want to stay focused and take it one match at a time.”
Abamu, typically known for his prowess in doubles, acknowledged the challenge of the match, saying,
“I’ve beaten Sani-Inabo before, so I expected a similar result.
But credit to him, he played well.”
In other men’s matches, Lucky Danjuma triumphed over Adehi Ochei with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while Abua Canice defeated Yusuf Abubakar 6-2, 6-4. Mohammed Musa showcased his skills by outclassing Oluwaseyi Ogunsakin with a commanding victory of 6-2, 6-0.
In the women’s singles, Bassey Etoro secured her place in the Round of 16 by defeating Emmanuella Kelvin-Bebe 6-1, 6-2.
The VEMP National Open Tennis Championship, which runs from 4th to 12th July, features 192 players competing across men’s and women’s singles and doubles categories.
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