By Victor Okoye
Nigeria’s number one ranked female tennis player, Marylove Edwards, is gradually closing in on her third straight women’s singles tennis open championship title in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country’s top ranked female player had won both the 2023 VEMP Open as well as the DavNotch Tennis Open Championship titles respectively in Abuja.
The number one seed has so far shown no signs of fatigue as she raced through her first and second rounds as well as her quarter-final fixtures of the ongoing CBN Tennis Open Championships.
Edwards strolled past number 39 ranked Ronke Akingbade 6-3, 6-1 in the first round and followed it up with another 6-3, 6-1 thrashing of number 12 ranked Favour Moses 6-3, 6-1 in the second round.
She then defeated number 19 ranked Khadijat Mohammed 6-4, 6-1 in the quarter-final on Thursday.
The defending champion next faces number 19 ranked Rebecca Ekpeyong in the semi-final on Friday for a shot at a possible third straight title in Abuja.
She told NAN she was looking to carry the momentum from her title victory in the last two championships in Abuja into the CBN Tennis Open final.
“We have reached the business end of the championship and so it’s a time to stay disciplined and focused like never before.
“It’s not the moment to stop and disconnect your mind.
“It’s the moment to stay focused and to keep holding that good momentum after winning 13 matches in a row here.
“My eyes are totally fixed on the prize to ensure I defend my title once again and make it three championship wins in a row here,” she said.
In other quarter-final matches decided on Thursday, number one ranked player, Uche Oparaoji, kept his hope of a second title alive after he defeated number 18 ranked player, Sylvanus Ayang, 6-4, 6-4.
Number 12 ranked player, Usman Kushimo, knocked out former champion Thomas Otu, 6-3, 6-3, while number four seed, Peter Lawal, beat Canice Abua 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the semi-final of the men’s singles event.
Also, number 24th ranked Musa Mohammed caused an upset as he stunned number eight seed, Ikechukwu Iloputa, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the end of a pulsating encounter to claim the final ‘top eight’ spot.
The 45th CBN Tennis Open Championships, which served off on Monday, is expected to end on Sunday at the National Tennis Centre, Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Package B. (NAN)
