Nigeria’s duo of Azeez Aleem and Joseph Jimoh, on Wednesday, qualified for quarter-finals in the male category of the ongoing J5 World Tennis championship.
They defeated pair of Azamata Ojente and Saidu Sani in the doubles match round of 16 with a comprehensive 6-7,6-2,10-7 to move to the new stage.
About 20 matches were played in the competition at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Package B in Abuja.
Speaking after the game, Aleem told NAN that the boys were tough.
“We didn’t calculate our first set well.
“We taught they will win us because they were a tough team in the tournament, but we were able to defeat them.
“We are going back to the drawing board and check on our tactics for tomorrow’s game so that we can win again.
“Our strategy is always to take one game at a time and we are happy that we are just two steps away from the final,” he said.
On his part, Sani said the game was a good fight but his team lost “because we were overconfident”.
According to him, this is our first outing in an international tournament.
“But we tried our best to have reached the stage we are.
“I hope that when given another opportunity, I will be able to reach the final,” he said.
Other matches played in the doubles male category saw Wilson Igbinovia and Emmanuel Jebutu defeating Fortune Joseph and Jeff Sodji( Togo) 6-4,6-2.
Jibril Adam and Abubakar Aliyu slam Mubarak Ayodeji and Abdulraheem Isa (Great Britain) 6-2,6-2.
The USA team Rohan Belday and Shrikeshav Murugesan flog Nigerian duo of Segun Adewale and Peter John 6-0,6-0.
In the female categories, it was a walk-over for Rebecca Ekpenyong and Etoro Bassey against Mary Godwin and Jo-leen Saw (Malaysia).
Victoria Chernova (USA) and Ohunene Yakubu beat Deborah Abiodun and Bamidele Awe, 6-1, 6-4.
The J5 ITF World Tennis Tour, which started on Sunday, will end on June 27.
Seventy players are participating in the championship from seven countries.
The countries are France, Ghana, Great Britain, Spain, Nigeria (host), Togo, and the USA.
