Mary Udoffa and Joseph Jimoh, on Sunday, beat the sector to turn into the 2024 singles champions of the Zenith Financial institution Subsequent Era Masters Tennis Championship, which last was determined at Ikoyi Membership, Lagos. Following a hard-fought title match towards Itoro Bassey of the GEUF Academy in Uyo, the Lokoja-based Udoffa rallied to win the tie 10-8.
Udoffa who, like her opponent, was making her second bid for the crown, trailed for many of the match till she squared up at 6-6 within the professional set. Tied once more at 8-8 the match was determined by a 10-point tiebreak, which Udoffa gained 10- 8.
Jimoh from Abuja’s Aurum Academy gained the boys’ title with a straight-forward 9 – 3 professional set victory over Henry Aina from Ondo State.
Aina, who had rallied from behind to beat John Peter of Lagos within the semifinals, was out of his depth within the finals trailing 0-4 earlier than getting on the scoreboard.
Jimoh was too stable to permit one other comeback and dropped solely two extra video games earlier than sealing his victory.The event, which options the most effective prospects to turn into senior champions, has turn into a stepping stone to stardom on the nationwide stage. Talking on the prize presentation ceremony, the Visitor of Honour, Mr Ifeanyi Ezeokoli, counseled the gamers for the excessive customary of tennis expertise they displayed and urged them to not relaxation on their oars till they turn into grand slam champions. Ezeokoli, who’s the Group MD of Incel Tourism, like he did final yr, gifted the gamers N500,000. Additionally talking on the occasion, the Director of of Worldwide Tennis Academy, organisers of the Masters, Godwin Kienka, mentioned he was very proud of the influence the competitors is making within the nation’s tennis improvement.
“This event is giving these younger girls and boys numerous confidence to tackle and overcome their seniors. Khadijat Mohammed, who gained final yr, 4 months later, gained the Dala Laborious Courtroom Senior Championships in Kano, and Emmanuel Akpan, one of many finalists within the boys class final yr, displaced the senior champions on the Davis Cup Group 2 playoffs in Abuja in July and gained all his matches towards 5 nations to elevate Nigeria into Group 2.
“These outcomes give numerous credit score to our choice course of, which could be very scientific and goal,” Kienka mentioned.
