Adegoke faces Russian-born Nigerian, as CBN Tennis Open gets tougher

CENTRAL Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Open Tennis tournament women singles top seed, Sarah Adegoke, will face an uphill task today, as she attempts to move past Russian-born Nigerian star, Ifidzhen Melissa, in a second round game at the National Stadium, Lagos.

Adegoke is, however, confident of winning the N700, 000 CBN women star prize and the giant trophy set aside for the champion, having won her first match with ease against Ebere Fortune 6-1, 6-1. She vowed yesterday that she would make up for her inability to win the championship last year when she lost to Christy Agugbom in the final.

According to Adegoke, several factors, including tiredness, were responsible for her defeat last year.

“But I have put all those things behind and my target is the trophy this year,” Adegoke said yesterday. Adegoke declared that today’s fixture against the Russian-born Nigerian star, Melissa, might be a difficult one, but she has what it takes to surmount it.

To reach this stage, Mellissa defeated Henrietta Ogude 6-1, 6-1, just as women defending Champion and tournament top seed, Christy Agugbom, outclassed Rita Obasogie 6-0, 6-0 to advance to the second round.

Also victorious is upcoming junior player, Angel Mcleod, who defeated Oluchi Ozurumba 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, just as Aanu Aiyegbusi sent Bukola Olowu packing from the tournament with a 6-2, 6-0 defeat.

In the men’s singles category, tournament top seed, Clifford Enosoregbe, has lived up to expectation, beating Sani Adamu 6-3, 6-3, while Nonso Madueke defeated Aliyu Umar 6-1, 5-1.

Enosoregbe will today face Christopher Edward in one of the second round games, Sunday Maku will play  Samuel Akagha, while Augustine Nwokedi engages Henry Atseye.

In other matches today, Umaru Balami will be up against Ikechukwu Iloputa, while Chukwuma Abba will engage Monday Igbinovia to decide who moves into the quarterfinal stage.