CBN Junior Tennis: It’s her turn to dominate – Gloria Samuel

By our reporter

Gloria Samuel from the LekMak Tennis Academy in Ado Ekiti says it is her turn to dominate the Girls 16s event, in the absence of Aina Goodnews, who has won all the tournaments in the category over the past two years. Samuel was a perennial runner-up in most of the tournaments.

Aina, though eligible to play the juniors, has been moved to the seniors on account of her impressive performance in senior tournaments last year.

“It is my chance to dominate (the Girls 16), and I am going to be very serious about it” Samuel said after thrashing Destiny Dahz from Lagos 9-0 in her second-round robin match. Her biggest threat will come from Favour James of the GEUF Tennis Academy in Uyo, who also defeated her opponent, Sarah Peter from Lagos, 9-0.

In the Boys 16s, Heman Afaramai, from the Police College Tennis Club, continued his impressive display of all-around tennis skills by beating the fourth seed, Wisdom Effiong, 9-3 to guarantee himself a semifinal berth. Damilola Agunbiade from the Calabar Sports Club also beat John Austin from Oyo State 9-4 in his second-round robin match to get closer to a semifinal spot.

Other winners were Venus Babalola from Oyo State, who defeated Florence Adejokun from Lagos 9-2 in the Girls 12, and Omoyinka Ayinla from Ogun State, who beat Ziyyadat Wuraola from Ilorin 9-3.

The last matches to determine semifinal places will take place on Thursday, while the semifinal matches are scheduled for Friday at the National Stadium Mainland Tennis Club.

The grand finale will take place at the Ikoyi Tennis Club starting at 10am.