CBN Tennis Championship 2026 – The Trumpet Newspaper Nigeria

Nigeria’s leading tennis stars continued their impressive runs at the 47th Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Tennis Championship as the competition entered its fourth day at the Package B Tennis Complex of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Key Highlights:

The annual tournament, which commenced on June 12 and will conclude on June 20, has once again attracted some of the country’s best players competing across the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events, as well as wheelchair tennis categories.

Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most prestigious domestic tennis tournaments, the championship has served for decades as a pathway for players who later represented the country at major international competitions, including the Davis Cup and the All-Africa Games.

As the battle for quarter-final places intensified, spectators witnessed a combination of dominant performances, dramatic comebacks and impressive displays from emerging talents.

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Top seed Khadijat Mohammed has lived up to expectations, advancing to the quarter-finals without dropping a set.

Mohammed began her campaign with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory over Timipre Maxwell before securing another straight-sets win against Toluwalase Agunbiade to book her place among the tournament’s final eight.

Second seed Bright Emmanuel-Essien also continued her strong form, defeating Punariman Bajo 6-1, 6-4 to remain firmly in contention for the title.

Third seed Nenrot Suwa survived one of the most competitive encounters of the championship, overcoming Blessing Omotayo 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in a thrilling three-set battle.

Fourth seed Mary Udofa has likewise impressed, opening her campaign with a commanding 6-0, 6-0 victory over Omotayo Ibrahim-Jatto before defeating Blessing Otu to progress.

Other seeded players advancing through the draw include Etoro Bassey and Success Ogunjobi, both of whom recorded convincing victories in the early rounds.

Several unseeded players also made strong impressions, with Prosper Ohima, Favour Godwin, Sarah Ibrahim, Mary Azi and Abosede Bamidele producing notable performances. Qualifiers and wildcards such as Destiny Tomizayi, Emmanuella Kwange and Blessing Anuna further highlighted the depth of emerging talent in Nigerian tennis.

In the men’s singles category, top seed Canice Abua continued his quest for the title with two convincing victories.

The national number one defeated Nuhu Urenyang 6-2, 6-4 before overcoming lucky loser Musa Sani 6-4, 6-3 to secure his place in the third round.

Second seed Daniel Adeleye also progressed after a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Yohannah Yakubu.

Third seed Emmanuel Micheal maintained his momentum with successive victories over Chima Micheal and Elisha Kwange, while fourth seed Lucky Danjuma eased past Tolu Olatunji 6-1, 6-2.

Other seeded players who advanced include Musa Mohammed, Yahaya Sani-Inabo, David John and Abubakar Yusuf.

One of the standout matches of the men’s draw saw Ajang Sylvanus stage a remarkable comeback against Abubakar Yusuf. After losing the opening set in a tiebreak, Sylvanus rallied to claim a 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Another entertaining contest featured Iloputa Ikechukwu, who edged Joshua Aper 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in a fiercely contested encounter.

Qualifier Stephen James continued his impressive run with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Emeka Ogunjiofor, while wildcard Amir Muhammed announced himself with a 7-5, 6-1 win against Oluwatobi Agboola.

The tournament also recorded two retirements, with Paul Isaac advancing after David Irimiya retired while trailing 6-0, 5-1, and Joseph Jimoh progressing following Suleiman Ibrahim’s withdrawal from their match.

With the tournament entering its decisive stages, attention is increasingly turning towards the battle for national honours and valuable ranking points.

The championship has once again demonstrated the growing standard of Nigerian tennis, bringing together established stars, rising prospects, qualifiers and wildcard entrants in a highly competitive field.

Beyond the trophies on offer, players are also competing to strengthen their national rankings and enhance their prospects for future international assignments.

As the quarter-finals approach, fans can expect even more intense contests as competitors vie for places in the latter stages of the championship and a chance to be crowned national champions when the tournament concludes on June 20 in Abuja.