Nigeria kicked off their Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III campaign in Botswana with a tough 2-1 win over Burundi on Monday. This victory boosts their chances for promotion, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Khadijat Mohammed got Nigeria off to a great start. She won her match against her Burundian opponent 6-0 in the first singles. This gave Nigeria an early lead in their first tie of the tournament.
Burundi came back in the second singles. Ange Ishimwe won against Success Ogunjobi with a score of 6-3, 6-3. This tied the match and set up a crucial doubles rubber.
To avoid losing on the first day, Nigeria paired the experienced Oyinlomo Quadre with Ogunjobi for the doubles match. The pair played well together. They broke early to take charge and won the first set 6-1. They kept their cool in the second set, and Ogunjobi hit a forehand winner to secure the match and give Nigeria a 2-1 victory.
This win puts Nigeria in a strong position in Group C. Only the winners will move up from Africa Group III. The Nigerian team arrived in Botswana feeling confident. They believe this year’s squad can finally achieve promotion after coming close in the past.
The Billie Jean King Cup, run by the International Tennis Federation, is the top women’s team tennis event in the world. Nigeria has become one of the strongest teams in Africa Group III due to their solid performances in both singles and doubles.
Captain Rotimi Akinloye’s team came very close to promotion in 2024 after winning their round-robin group. Quadre has stood out as Nigeria’s best player in this competition. She holds the records for the most overall, singles, and doubles wins for the team.
Along with rising stars Mohammed and Ogunjobi, Quadre is expected to play a major role as Nigeria aims for promotion in Botswana.
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