Nigeria;s brightest junior tennis talent confirmed her billing as a future world class pro when she resoundingly upset defending champion and No.1 seed in the Girls 16s, Gloria Samuel from Ekiti, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the finals of the Girls 16 s of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship taking place in Lagos.
Atilola, the Girls 14s champion who was given a slot in the 16s was on fire from the beginning,, spraying forehand and backhand winners to lead 5-0 before a dazed Samuel managed to take one game. The story was almost the same in the second set as MOFI, as she is popularly called raced to a 4-0 lead with unbelievable defensive skills, before Samuel found her bearing to fight back to 4-4. Undaunted by the new challenge, Atilola raised her game to win the next two games to close out the match. Atilola will now feature in two finals Saturday. She will meet Goodnews Aina, from Ekiti in the Girls 16 finals and Success Godwin in the Girls 14.. Aina weathered a hard second set where she lost five match points against Favour Effiong of the GEUF Academy in Uyo before winning 6-4, 7-6.
The Boys 16 finals will be between Gbolahan Olawale from Ondo and Seyi Ogunsakin from Ekiti while Issah Yahaya will take on Joel Michael of Lagos in the Boys 14s. The Boys 12s will have Ogoniba Excellency from Bayelsa squaring up against Emmanuel Ogungbe of Ogun State.
Karina Opeune from Bayelsa will be up against Mabubat Rasaki from Oyo State in the Girls 12s.
The grand finale of the Championship will take place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday, starting 12 noon.