DEFENDING champion, Kazeem Adeniyi, will today confront Ahmed Bello in one of the men's singles semi-final clashes of the ongoing Asoju Oba Cup Table Tennis Championship, while the women's number one seed, Fatimo Bello, will take on Yetunde Thompson in a battle for the ticket to the women's singles final.The other women's singles semi-final will pitch Tolu Durosimi-Etti against Bose Odusanya, just as Ganiyu Ashimiyu will slug it out with Sulaimon Abdulhai for the second men's singles final qualifier. Adeniyi had an easy win over Bolaji Shobayo in an encounter that ended 4-2, while Olajide Omotayo's dream of playing in the last four was ended by Ahmed Bello in the quarter-final.In what could be touted as the most entertaining match of the competition yet, Omotayo succumbed to Bello 4-2, while Ashimiyu, like Adeniyi, dismissed Dapo Kolawole 4-1. Abdulhai was the only player that had to sweat for his victory over Samson Agbaje in the match he eventually won 4-3.Assessing the performance of the players in the competition thus far, the technical official of the tournament, John Peters, said the players have proved their worth, especially in the men's singles where some of them displayed some fantastic skills.'The weekly league has helped to improve the standard of the championship this year,' he said. 'Most of the players taking part in the competition are the same playing the league, so it is clear that the league has indeed helped to raise the standard of play while some unknown players have also shown their worth.'I am happy that this is coming at this time the sport is getting back to its rightful place. I commend the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, for his foresight.'Peters, who is one of Nigeria's blue badge umpires, however, expressed concern over the performance of the female players, who he said have not been encouraging like their male counterparts.Also today, veterans, administrators and sports writers' events will hold while the grand finale of the championship takes place tomorrow at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
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