ITF West/Central African Junior Championships: Suleiman Earns Podium Finish As Team Nigeria Seal Four Second Leg Quarter Final Spots

Nigeria’s Suleiman Ibrahim clinched Silver in the first leg of the ITF/CAT Under-14  African Junior Circuit after bowing in straight sets to Benin’s Isaac Padio in Lome, Togo on Tuesday.

Second-seeded Ibrahim fell to the Beninese 3-6, 5-7 after brilliantly working his way through to the final of the first leg of the boys’ single.

So far, Ibrahim has been the brightest prospect of Team Nigeria at the AJC Qualifiers as the team now turns focus on the second leg already underway since Tuesday at the Stades Omnisports Eyadema, Lome.

Considering Ibrahim status as second seed, the Nigerian got a bye through the first round to beat Ghana’s Raphael Ankrah 6-4, 6-4 and advance to the quarterfinals.

Equally, Nigeria’s Ganiyu Mubarak, who went out in the first round of the 1st leg, has upped his level to reach the quarterfinals of the second leg by breezing past Paterne Koudia of Ivory Coast 6-3, 6-1, before going on to thrash Madagascar’s Matio Raoily 6-1, 6-0 to seal a quarterfinal spot.

Still in the boys’ category, Gabriel Inyang and John Oche, however, lost to Egypt’s Mostafa El Din and Benin’s Isaac Padio in the first and second rounds respectively.

In the girls’ category, Oiza Yakubu sealed a quarter-final berth with a 6-3, 6-1 dismissal of Madagascar’s Ravaka Ramanantoanina in the second round having bypassed the first round with a bye alongside Esther Oni who lost in the second round to Rodia Noudogbessi of Benin.

Meanwhile, Mary Udoffa overwhelmed Togo’s Abide Beouzi but lost in the second round to Kenzy Ramy of Egypt.

Iye Onojo hit Marie Kouakou of Ivory Coast with a double bagel in the first round and went on to defeat Ishane Dermane in the second round to seal a quarterfinal spot.

Action in the second leg will come to a close on Friday, April 5.