Bello, Edwards battle for final, as Bright defends title

Yahuza Bello will have to be at his best at his semifinal match in the Boys U-14 event to land in his first ever final at the Azimuth Shipping Lines Junior Tennis Championship.

The Niger State-based youngster, who starred at the National Youth Games in Ilorin in 2021, will come up against talented David Edwards, the younger brother of former Nigerian number one, Marylove Edwards, in a mouthwatering tie inside the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

As it stands, they are both assured of N30,000 education grant each, but one of them will have guaranteed N50,000 education at the end of today’s encounter. The eventual winner will go home with N100,000 education grant as announced by Richard Inyang, the Tournament Director.

Bright Emmanuel is gunning for a back-to-back final berth at the U-16 event of the championship, having played against her rival, Khadijat Mohammed, in 2021 finale.

Both players combined to win gold for Nigeria at the African Junior Tennis Championships in Togo last week, but will be foes on court later today if they are able to defeat their opponents in the semis of their respective matches.

Meanwhile, talented youngster, Mofifunoluwa Atilola, will also be up against Gloria Samuel to make it to the finals of the Girls U-12 event at the competition, which many believe she is capable of winning.

Ndidi Osaji, fresh from her gold-winning performance in Togo with the Nigerian Team, is also another hopeful for a final berth and ‘podium place’ finish at the competition, which is in its fourth edition.

She took on Fareeha Adams in one of the semis of the Girls U-14 event yesterday afternoon, while power playing Lorelay Holzendorf will be hopeful of a finals spot, when she tackles Precious Ohimai, the tournamment’s number