Quadri, Atseye win Rainoil tennis Open

PHOTO: Mrs Godrey Ogbechie wife of Rainoil GMD (Right) presenting trophy and dummy cheque of N500,000 to winner of the women’s singles of Rainoil Tennis Open, Oyinlomo Quadri.

Defending women champion of the annual Rainoil tennis Open championship, Oyinlomo Quadri Saturday  at the Clay Court of the Lagos Country Club retained her title after beating no 1 seed, Marylove Edwards in two straight sets.

Quadri who came into the tournament as second seed after about seven months lay-off due to injury proved too hard a nut for her opponent to crack  as she dominated all the sets to end the ambition of  Marylove Edwards whom she was  meeting for the first time in her career and ended the game at 6-4, 6-1.

Speaking at the end of the energy sapping encounter, Quadri noted that she’s happy retaining the title despite seven months of lay-off.

“I’m really happy winning this tournament after coming back from injury. It was not an easy game because there was a lot of tension but I played my best game and won against an equally good opponent”, she said.

In her own remarks, Marylove admitted playing against a very good player; saying that she tried her best but her best was not enough to dethrone her.

” It was a very good game and both of us put in our best but the better player won.

Later in the men’s singles final Henry Atseye proved why he is the master of Clay in Nigeria as he defeated defending champion and number one seed, Joseph Imeh by two straight sets of 7/6(7/4), 6/2 to emerge the winner.

In the men’s doubles event, Mathew Abamu and Michael Chima defeated Henry Atseye and Nnoso Madueke to emerge winners, while the women’s doubles was won  by Omolayo Bamidele and Oyinlomo Quadri.

Speaking after receiving his trophy and prize money, Atseye appreciated Rainoil for supporting tennis in the country, pointing out that the Rainoil Tennis Open offers Nigerian players the opportunity to get exposed to clay.

 Group Managing Director of Rainoil, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie  in his remarks said that tennis is a sports he is so passionate about, noting that if it is invested in,  it will help young Nigerians make  a very decent living

He urged the players to be more dedicated and  committed inorder to improve on their game and thanked  Lagos Country Club for being a good host.

“Rainoil is proud to be associated with tennis . I’m passionate about the game  and this is  our own effort  in developing tennis in the country.

“We believe that tennis is a sport which can make our youths self reliance and I’m encouraging our youth to take to the game of tennis as they stand to gain a lot from it,” he said.

Winners in the men and women’s singles went home with N600, 000 and 500,000 respectively, while their runners-up got N300,000 and N250,000 respectively. Winners of the men and women’s doubles went home with N600,000 and N500,000 respectively.