Team Tombim beats Lead Way to Blue Group Clash

Defending champions, Team Tombim, were pushed to the limit by debutantes, Team Lead Way, at the weekend, but they won the Blue Group clash 3-2 to strengthen their stake for a semifinal berth.

The matches played at the National Stadium, Lagos, saw national champion, Moses Michael, playing for Tombim, digging deep to recover from losing the first set 6-2 (trailed 0-4) to beat Joseph Imeh  2-6, 6-2, 6-1. Lead Way’s Monday Igbinovia then cancelled the lead by also recovering from a disastrous first set to beat Christopher Edwards 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.

In the women’s singles, Sarah Adegoke (Tombim) overcame a highly determined Ronke Akingbade 6-3, 7-5, while Lead Way took the men’s doubles with Igbinovia and Mohammed Mohammed edging Michael and Christian Paul 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 to end the opening day tied 2-2.

Both teams split the singles on the final day with Michael expectedly beating Igbinovia 6-2, 6-2 and Imeh upsetting Paul 6-4, 6-1 to push the tie to a decider.

Team Tombim, using their lead players, Michael and Adegoke, won the decisive mixed doubles against Igbinovia and Akingbade in straight sets.

Team Tombim now leads the group with two wins and no loss while Team Lead Way has one win and a loss to place third in the group.

In Ilorin, Team Offikwu from Kaduna parading top national players – Sylvester Emmanuel,  Emmanuel Idoko, Albert Bicom and Aanu Aiyegbusi proved too strong for the Ilorin-based Team Goshen, winning 7- 0 in a well attended tie that was watched by the Kwara State Commissioner of Sports, Khale Ayo Nuhu and Director of Sports, Tunde Kazeem.

Team Offikwu now holds second position with two wins and one loss.

The next match  for Goshen will be in Abuja next weekend where they take on defending champions, Tombim.

Other matches for the weekend of November 5 and 6 are Team Kalotari versus Team Hope of Asaba at the Port Harcourt Club and Team Civil Defence against Team CBN Futures at the Murtala Square in Kaduna.

The NCC Tennis league is fast becoming a delight for spectators as the sponsors have incorporated raffle draws for  android phones and other gift items as well as consumer affairs platforms at all venues to attend to phone users with issues. Spectators also get free refreshments at all venues from support sponsors Coca-Cola.