Nigeria’s Iloputa Upsets Thailand Player

Nigeria’s Ikechukwu Iloputa defeated Thailand’s Palaphoom Kovapitukted 6-4, 6-2 as four Nigerian players will battle for places in the semifinal of the boy’s singles of the ongoing ITF West & Central Africa Circuit holding in Benin. Iloputa was seeded tenth while Kavapitukted was the tournament’s number eight seed.

Expectedly, Joseph Ubon was among the country’s players that are still on course for the title as he defeated another Nigerian Tochukwu Eze 6-1, 6-2 and the third-seeded Ubon will now face  Kouadio Koffi of Cote d’Ivoire, a  4-6, 6-2, 6-4 winner over Itchya Meesommon of Thailand in one of today’s quarterfinal ties at the Tennis Club de L'Amitie Cotonou.
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Another match between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire will see fifth seeded Emmanuel Audu facing a stern test as he battles number one seed Gueninle Ouattara. Audu breezed past Stanislas Ekemon Agu of benin 6-2, 6-4 while Ouattara crushed Nigeria’s Oche Adehi 6-1, 6-0.

Iloputa will now battle his compatriot Mohammed Mohammed for a place in the last-four after the latter’s 6-3, 6-2 triumph over  Connor Yao of Cote d’Ivoire.

Nigeria’s Elizabeth Garos-Pam justified her second seed status as she overpowered Franciscan Nyarko of Ghana 6-2,6-4 in the girl’s singles but her compatriot, Venus Ubiebi, however, had her runs halted following a  6-1, 6-0 loss to Carmen Kpadonou of Benin.
London-based Garos-Pam, who caused series of upsets by reaching the final of the 2014 CBN Open in Lagos, will be up to revenge the defeat of Ubiebi as she battles Benin’s Esperence Follykoue for a place in the semifinal.

No fewer than ten Nigerian players will also be in doubles action today with the tie between Nigerians Ubon and Mohammed against Gandonou brothers, Dominique and Dossou of Benin, the eye-catching of the fixtures.