Less than 48hours to the end of the 48th Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup, players will be aiming to remain in the competition as knockout round begins on Thursday November 24 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
With 16 men competing for places in the last four while the remain eight women aiming for places in the final.
For former champions, Tolu Durosimi-Etti to 2012 finalist, policewomen Funke Hassan, the race for the title will go to the wire.
A determined Durosimi-Etti who claimed the brand new car at the 45th edition of the championship in 2013 believes she is capable of beating the younger players to the laurel. “I am ready to win back my title having taken part in the just concluded NTTF National Championships. For me, I am confident that nothing can stop me from reclaiming the title this year based on my present form coupled with my warm-up with the national tournament”.
“I am not going to rule out the fact that it is not going to be easy but I am up to the task to prove myself again this year and I look forward to making it to the final on Friday,” she said.
Also, Policewoman Hassan is optimistic that the title would not elude her this year. “This year I don’t want to make any mistake having played in series of final and also making it to the last four at the just concluded NTTF National Championship, I am indeed in a good frame of mind to win the title this year,” Hassan said.
For the last 16 pairing, men’s singles defending champion, Ahmed Adeyinka will confront giant-killer, Dayo Adenugba while women singles defending champion, Bose Odusanya will square up against Taiwo Williams.
For the women’s singles quarterfinal, Alimot Ayinla will take on policewoman, Funke Hassan, Fatimo Bello will face Nimota Aregbesola while Modinat Yusuf will battle Tolu Durosimi-Etti.
In the men’s singles pairing, Nurudeen Hassan will take on Isiaka Seriki, Joseph Osendukwu battles David Fayele, while Rogba Olawoyin clashes against Rilwan Akanbi.
Seun Adeleye will take on Monsuru Kazeem, Samson Agbaje faces Olakunle Ajulo while Bolaji Asekun will keep a date against 2015 finalist – Ayo Omotara.
However, 2012 and 2013 women singles champion, Durosimi-Etti believes she is poised to reclaim the title she lost to Odusanya in 2015.
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