34th CBN Tennis Open: Babalola Chases Imonite’s Record

The 34th edition of the just-concluded
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Tennis Open took a different turn as it
recorded come-back winners in the Men’s and Ladies singles events.
The tournament, organised by the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) was
held between May 3 and May 12 at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Favourites Abulmumuni Babalola, seeded two and Fatima Abinu, seeded one,
returned as the Men’s and Ladies Singles champions respectively at the end of
the competition.

Babalola beat Shehu Lawal, seeded three,
6-3, 6-4 to lift the Men’s Singles trophy while Abinu defeated unseeded Sarah
Adegoke, current African U-14 champion, 6-4, 6-3 to lift the Ladies Singles trophy.

Babalola had earlier won the competition
three times, in 2002, 2006 and 2009 to record the second highest winner after
legend David Imonite who had won it seven times.

The annual competition began in 1979 with
Kehinde Ajayi as the maiden champion who also retained the trophy in 1980.

Remi Osho dethroned Ajayi in 1981, but
Imonite took over in 1982 and won it three times consecutively.

He was dethroned by Sadiq Abdullahi in 1985
who also retained the trophy in 1986, but Imonite in 1987 dethroned Abdullahi
and came back to win the competition again three times consecutively.

Imonite was dethroned by Segun Balogun in
1990 before he won it for the last time in 1991 to complete his seven times
record.

“It will be difficult for me to break
Imonite’s record, he has won it three consecutive times twice, but I have not.

“I will need to break the three times
consecutive record first before meeting his record of seven times champion,”
Babalola told newsmen after defeating Shehu.

Tournament’s referee, Saidu Musa, described
Babalola’s performance in the tournament as ‘really a come-back one’ as he
played the game with his heart.

“I commend his effort. He played the game
with much determination and zeal, he was more reserved and did not allow for
detraction throughout his matches,’’ he said.

In the Ladies, Abinu has only tallied with
the record of Osaro Amadin who has won it four times but was yet to meet the
record of Veronica Oyibokia won has won it record eight times.

Anne Abimiku, was the maiden champion in
1979 and retained it the following year before Esther Onyekwelu dethroned her
in 1981.

Rolake Olagbegi dethroned Onyekwelu in 1982
but Onyekwelu returned in 1983, only for Oyibokia to win it four record times
between 1984 and 1987.

Oyibokia was dethroned by Nosa Imafidon in
1988, came back in 1988 and won it three consecutive times between 1989 and
1991 to complete her seven year record.

Amadin achieved her four times record by
winning it in 1997 and three times running from 2003 to 2005.

Abinu first won it in 2007, she was
dethroned by Christy Agugbom in 2008 but regained her title in 2009.

She successfully defended her title in
2010, was again dethroned in 2011 by Biola Akewula, but came back to win it in
2012 to complete her four times winner.

“I am looking forward to meet Oyibokia’s
record; I still have age on my side.

“This remains the source of my confidence
to meet that record and even beat it,’’ Abinu said.

Another female player who made record in
the competition was tennis prodigy, Adegoke.

Unseeded Adegoke stunned spectators as she
rode on the back of other seeded players to qualify for the final.

Adegoke’s coach, George Odiong, said that
Adegoke would definitely emerge the tournament’s champion next year

The Men’s and Ladies Singles champions went
home with N600, 000 each while their runners-up went home with N400,000 each.