2019 Rainoil Tennis Open: Idoko, Imeh, Quadre, Agugbom land in semis

The dream of Thomas Otu to win the men's singles title at the ongoing Rainoil Tennis Open ended on Friday at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, as he lost to number eight seed, Emmanuel Idoko in the quarter-finals.
 

Otu, number four seed was a no match for the more experienced, Idoko, who tore him
apart  in two straight sets 6/1, 6/2.

Otu will now face defending champion and number two seed, Joseph Imeh, who triumphed over Timibra Godgift 6/2, 6/4 in another quarter-final fixture.

Number nine seed, Ajang Sylvanus title dream was also brought to an end as he lost to 15 seed Michael Chima 6/3, 6/4.

Chima's next opponent for a place in Sunday's final is number one seed, Sylvester
Emmanuel, who spanked wildcard entrant Peter Lawal 6/2, 6/0.

In the women's singles, top seed, Oyinlomo Quadre produced a flawless performance to beat fifth seed Patience Onebamhoin.

Quadre, who had beaten Onebamhoin 6-0, 6-0 at the Dala Championship two weeks ago, replicated same performance to land in the semi-final.

The 16-year-old will try to remain on course for a third national title this year, when she faces defending champion, Blessing Samuel in the semis today.

Samuel, seeded number three outclassed Ibironke Oladipo 6-0, 6-3. Having cruised
through the opening set, Samuel jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second set, but Oladipo rallied to 3-3, by forcing a break in the sixth game. The defending champion, Samuel, however, broke back immediately, before securing a decisive break in the ninth game to seal victory.

Second seed, Aanu Aiyegbusi eased past Stella Udokwelu 6-2, 6-1. Udokwelu escaped
a bagel in the second set by breaking in the third game for 1-2. Aiyegbusi later won
the next four games to close out the one-sided contest.

Aiyegbusi, who turned 26 a week ago, will on Saturday face 37-year-old Christie Agugbom for a
place in the women’s singles final.

Agugbom, a runner-up last year, defeated Omolayo Bamidele 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. Bamidele
had done well to bounce back and force a final set after being bagelled in the first set.
But her level dropped in the decider, as Agugbom powered to reach the last four.

The finals of the competition hold on Sunday, December 8 at the Lagos Country Club,
Ikeja, Lagos.
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Caption:

Tournament's number one seed, Sylvester Emmanuel, can he stop hard-fighting Michael Chima in the semis on Saturday?
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