Emmanuel, Abinu Win CBN Senior Tennis Cup.

It was a mixed feeling for the top Nigerian tennis players who featured at the 32nd edition of the CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship which climaxed on Saturday at the Tennis Court of the National Stadium, Surulere.

Abdulmumuni Babablola, who came on board in 2002 during the 24th edition of the tourney where he dethroned Sunday Maku who had been the tourney's champion between 1999 and 2001 failed to defend his tittle after he lost to Shehu Lawal in the Quarter final.

Babalola spoke with Sportsweight.blogspot.com on his defeat to Lawal and waht he intends to do next.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com:You lost to Lawal in the Quarter final of whic many tennis pundits expect to see you in the final.What's is your reaction?

Babalola: In any situation, in any condidtion you find yourself.You should be able to thank God. Itrained so hard for the competition and i lost out in the Quarter final. Unfortunately for me, the person i lost to could not make to the final as well.So bad for me, i don't have to think about it.Have left it behind me and try to face what am doing.Enter for the East African features.

I am a very good player as wee.Have played a lot of matches, i won , i lost some. And i cannot allow the defeat to be like a setback to me. Right now amover it already, am okay, i just have to go back to training.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com: What is your take on the final between Sunday Emmanuel and Henry Atseye.

Emmanuel: I think the final today between Emmanue and Atseye Henry got a lot of supporters in Lagos because he is based in Lagos and may be that's was why he could not play his best because they both played in thefinal in Aba where Henry won.

Here weare today, Henry lost to the same guy as well. So he tried his best to play his best.But its not easy to play in the final because this is the first time he would playing in the final in Lagos. It was a lot of distraction for him and i don't think he can handle it, handle the crowd while here in Lagos compared to him who has always featured in the final. We know how to control the crowd. I think that's what really happened in today's game.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com: What do intend to do now after the defeat:

Babalola: We just came back from Davis Cup, we could not make it to division two but we still remain in division 3, since am back to Nigeria, have been training. I wanted to use the CBN Senior Ope Tennis Championship like my warming up for the East African Tennis Championship. So bad for me. I could not get to what i wanted. Am well prepared.


It depends on the sponsor.Am very sure that i will be taking part in the event. I will play singles and doubles events.

The winner,Sunday Emmanuel, also speak on his victory at the CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com: What Is Your Reaction On Today's Victory Against Henry Atseye.

Emmanuel: Actually today's final looks easy but honestly, it was tough because i work for for so many years.Let's forget about last year's i lost to Babalola.It was unfortunate for me that he was better that particular that we played.It not that i was good or i just want to play well.Like i said earlier on, when i came for the tournament, all i needed was a concentration.You know like to focus, to try to be there on the court.That's my biggest weak point like weakness.Staying focus which i really tried because the game is there.

I just came back from oversee and i work for it.I have been in Holland for eight weeks and also play some tournaments in Germany, Belgium and ,Luxemburg.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com:What Can You Say About Atseye.

Emmanuel:People always have their own opinions.Like with Henry i lost to him in November last year in Aba which honestly i lost due to lack of concentration. Iwas set up and everything changes.I won the first tournament in Portharcourt, i beat him in the Quarter final which i did improved upon.Though, a lot of conflict today.I won in the 3 set, my concentration was okay because i was first down.You have to be mentally strong to really cope.

Today, when i got on call, i was like to be focus and do it because he got no game to hurt me.

Honestly, being number one is not easy because every single person, you play,will always want to bring you down, like to beat.Honestly, am in the biggest moment of my life of working really hard word which i do, that's why am so happy with myself and i believe i deserve to win.

Its not easy to be focus on the count.Both from my first round matches, the guy that i played against was good.All i did was to stay focus because i have to start fro there to be able to here.You know, i tried to improve on each match which really did help.

Am prepared for the East African Tennis Championship.

Henry Atseye who lost to Emmanuel in the final has this say.

The match i played against Shehu Lawal really affected him because he had an ankle injury which deprieved him of playing better at the tournament and i took some pain relieve drugs from the medical personnels.

Me going inside the court, i was feeling am okay to play him because this is not my first time am playing him. I played him Aba inth final, i defeated him and i play in this final as well.So it was like this,let me just go there and there and do my best because i know am going to do it.But i went into the court and everything was no working fine as i wanted it.

Sportsweight.blogspot.com: Does The Crowd Had Any Negative Effect On You.

Atseye: No it does not,what really need is that i need more concentration which am not getting it for myself because in the first set when i was leading by 3 - 1, my racket got bursted, so before me taking the racket to the springer for them to take it back,i just okay with the one am using that brougth down my morale,that's just is, the crowd was not the problem.

What Is Impression Of Sunday Emmaneul:

Sunday Emmnauel is a good tennis player.He has more experience because he feature in international tournament because is being sponsored. Am also a good player but i do not have such opportunity of playing in international tournaments. Ienjoy such things when i was playing in the Junior category.