The Aurum Tennis Academy team arrived in Accra on the 6th of September 2024 together after a long grueling journey bringing their camaraderie and dedication with them. Coach Babatunde Abe, Joseph Jimoh, Success Ogunjobi, Prosperity Okonkwo, and Mubarak Ganiyu made the trip, but only Joseph and Success were slated to compete during the first week of the J30 tournament, with Joseph also playing a doubles tournament. The weekend leading up to the tournament saw the team putting in extra hours of practice, practicing with each other and the on-ground players to be better, all while preparing for the intense competition that lay ahead.
On match day, the atmosphere was electric. Joseph and Success both admitted to feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation, excited to test their skills in such a prestigious tournament.
SINGLES TOURNAMENT
Joseph Jimoh kicked off his journey with a solid performance in the first round, defeating Ghanaian Emmanuel Kwesi Frimpong with a convincing 6-3, 6-0 scoreline. His second-round match was a bit tougher, but he came out on top, overcoming Finlay Whitrow of Great Britain in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. His momentum carried him into the quarterfinals, where he faced Harel Tarshish from Israel. After a tense first set loss, Joseph bounced back to win 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, pushing him into the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Success’ journey ended earlier than hoped. Despite her best efforts and the team's encouragement, she lost her first match, struggling to find her footing on the court but anyone who did not see the match live would have regretted it because it was a very intense match indeed. It was a well-fought match that ended 6-7, 6-3, 4-6, although a bit disappointed, Success held her head up high, knowing she had made progress.
In the semi-finals, Joseph met Showrya Samala from India, who he soundly defeated 6-4, 6-1. With the win, Joseph secured a spot in the finals—a thrilling moment for the Aurum team.
Finally on the 14th of September, the final match for the Single’s tournament saw Joseph facing off against his own doubles partner, Raphael! The crowd was loud, the pressure was high, and the match was an intense rollercoaster. Raphael claimed the first set 6-4, but that only seemed to make Joseph more focused as he came back with a dominant 6-0 second set. The final set was a battle, with an intense trade between the two, but ultimately, Joseph fell short, losing 6-4 in a hard-fought final.
DOUBLES TOURNAMENT
Alongside his singles matches, Joseph Jimoh was also competing in the double’s tournament at J30 Accra, partnered with Ghanaian player Raphael Nii Nortei Dowuona. The pair had a strong run, starting with a confident 6-1, 6-3 win over Ghana's Daniel Nii Norkwei Adom Adom and Dennis Donton in the quarterfinals.
In the semi-finals, Joseph and Raphael faced a tough team in Jesse Frank Abu from Great Britain and Sami Hayes from Morocco. Despite a challenging first set that went to a tiebreak, they emerged victorious with a score of 7-6, 6-2, advancing to the finals.
The final match saw them take on another British pair, Henry Beer and Finlay Whitrow. Joseph and Raphael played a dominant game, winning 6-1, 6-3 to secure the doubles title. This victory added a high note to Joseph’s week.
REFLECTION
The Aurum team had a winner’s medal in double and a runner-up medal in Singles. The hype isn’t all over as they are slated to play another tournament next week, hence the 1st week in Accra. Look forward to more news on these young tennis stars!
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