Lucky Danjuma has booked his spot in the round of 16 at the Davnotch National Open Tennis Championship following a hard-fought win over Mathew Abamu on Monday in Abuja.
The match, played at the National Tennis Centre, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, saw Danjuma edge a tense contest 6-7(8), 6-2, 4-0 (retired), after Abamu was forced to withdraw in the third set.
Danjuma, who lost the first set in a close tiebreak, bounced back with a dominant second set and took control of the third before Abamu retired.
He will now face Musa Mohammed, who progressed after Endurance Ehigiamusoe retired at 5-1 in their encounter.
Speaking after his win, Danjuma said he remains focused on winning the title, despite the challenges ahead. “This is my second time playing in this tournament. I lost in the round of 32 the first time,” he recalled.
He attributed his first-set loss to poor officiating, which affected his concentration. “The umpire’s inconsistency distracted me, but I chose to focus in the second set and it paid off,” he said.
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Danjuma also confirmed his participation in the doubles category starting tomorrow and expressed confidence in his team’s chances.
On his part, Abamu acknowledged the need to improve his stamina and endurance. “Once I build these qualities, I believe I’ll perform better and find relief on the court,” he stated.
Danjuma recently finished as runner-up at the VEMP National Open Tennis Championship on July 12, also in Abuja.
Over 200 players are participating in this year’s Davnotch National Open, which features men’s and women’s singles and doubles categories. The tournament, which began on July 12, will run until July 19.