Five Nigerians Qualify for Semi-finals

PUMA WHEELCHAIR TENNIS

Alex Adewale and Wasiu Yusuf kept Nigeria’s flag flying at the 2nd Puma Engineering Wheelchair Tennis Championship in Abuja on Thursday following their qualification to the semi-finals of the ITF World Series event.

Top seed and defending champion, Adewale eased past Abdallah Athman of Kenya 6-2, 6-1 to set up a meeting with Tanzania’s Novartus Temba, a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 conqueror of Kazeem Akanbi of Nigeria.

Yusuf, who alongside Adewale are the doubles champions of the last edition saw off compatriot Rasak Bankole 6-1, 6-1 to keep a date in the last four of the $3, 000 prize money event facilitated by Africa Wheelchair Tennis president, Engr. Sani Ndanusa with Kenya’s Collins Omondi who defeated Human Hamisi of Tanzania.

Nigeria is guaranteed a place in the women’s final as Kemi Oluwasegun and Chituru Nwaozuzu face off in the semi-finals.

Oluwasegun survived the test of fellow Nigerian Vivian Ozurumba 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 while Nwaozuzu battled past Jane Ndenga of Kenya 6-1, 6-3.

Women’s title holder Kafayat Omisore also got the better of Kenya’s Asiya Sururu 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and will face Lucy Shirima of Tanzania who triumphed 6-3, 6-1 over Bridget Jarret of Ghana.

Nigeria’s coach Frank Tarmena is upbeat of a clean sweep of the top prizes stressing the team won’t take their opponents for granted.