11th March, 2015
Defending champion, Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo, Olajide Omotayo and three other Nigerians as well as three Egyptians secured their places on Wednesday in the quarterfinal stage of the ongoing International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour, Lagos Open holding at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Onaolapo, who is seeded number one had an easy passage to the last eight, as he overrun compatriot, Joshun Oladiran 11-4, 11-5, 11-6, while Italy-based Omotayo also surmounted Michael Obayomi 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6 to set up a quarterfinal battle against compatriot, Akinwale Fagbamila, who had accounted for the exit of Sunday Akomolafe in the round of 16 encounter.
Joseph Osedunkwu also suffered defeat in the hand of Olasunkanmi Oginni, who is expected to tackle Omotayo in the last eight. Egypt’s Ahmed Mabrouk sent his compatriot packing in the last 16 battle of two brothers with 11-9, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7 win over Sayed Ramadan. Nigeria’s Azeez Solanke was no match to Egypt’s Mahmoud Fathy as the teenager star fell 6-11, 4-11, 1-11 to his superior opponent. Experienced former national junior player, Azeez Ogunlade was made to raise his game as he managed to beat Babatunde Babafemi 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-9.
However the entertaining match between Nigeria’s Nurudeen Hassan and Egypt’s Shady Magdy became the star match in the category as unknown Hassan gave the African junior champion a run for his money during the clash.
Like a true Nigerian, Hassan fought well but his skills cannot match the superb display by the North African as he surrendered the Magdy 13-11, 1-11, 10-12, 9-11.
In the quarterfinal pairing, Onaolapo will battle Oginni, Mabrouk confronts Fathy, while Omotayo and Fagbamila will slug it out. Familiar foe, Ogunlade and Magdy will against battle themselves for a place in the last four of the event.
A confident Magdy said he is familiar with Ogunlade having played against him at cadet and junior tournaments.