The Zenith Bank ‘Next Generation’ Junior Tennis Masters suffered four hours delay Wednesday due to rain that disrupted the first set of matches.
However, Port Harcourt-based Rebecca Ekpeyong took full advantage of the interruption to reboot and staged a comeback that had Omolade Aderemi, the second seed in Girls’ Group B, dumbfounded.
Leading 8-6 in the pro set with one game to clinch the match, Aderemi, runner-up at the recently concluded CBN Junior Championship, lost the next two games and the tie break which followed to put her chances of a semi final place in jeopardy.
“I took it for granted that I was going to win and did not warm up properly. I was cold,” Aderemi tried to explain her loss after the game.
With one win over Kasara Adegboyega, Aderemi will now have to beat Favour Moses, her conqueror in the finals of the CBN Juniors, to qualify.
In a Boys’ Group B match which was also concluded, Godgift Timibra, the top seed in the group, fought back from 2-0 down to beat Augustine Stephen 9-6.
The Junior Tennis Masters which is organised by the International Tennis Academy is showcasing the best eight players in the 18 & under category. The final is scheduled to take place on Saturday starting at 10 am.
