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June 11, 2025

Top female player confident of winning squash tourney

Top female player confident of winning squash tourney

Nigeria’s top-ranked female squash player, Rofiat Abdulazeez, on Wednesday said her target is to win the championship trophy at the ongoing Prime Atlantic Squash Championship in Lagos.

Abdulazeez told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it is always encouraging when players train all year and have competitions to look forward to.

She commended the organisers of the Prime Atlantic Squash Championship for their consistency over the past four years, adding that the tournament has continued to provide players with a platform to hone their skills.

Abdulazeez, who won the women’s singles title at the 2024 edition, said she is aiming to put up another superlative performance to defend her crown.

She recently clinched the gold medal in the women’s singles event at the 2025 National Sports Festival, defeating her Kwara teammate, Blessing Issac, in the final.

The top seed added that one of her key aspirations is to break into the world’s top 50 rankings by the end of the year.

“I am looking forward to yet another great outing and definitely to defending my women’s singles title.

“It is also a scoring event and, as such, very important to every participant who takes the game seriously,” she said.

NAN reports that Abdulazeez defeated Esther Opiye 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 to book her spot in the round of 16.

Reacting to the loss, Opiye said she played against a tougher and more experienced opponent, but added that she had learnt a lot from the encounter.

Another rising star in the tournament, Victory Tontonye from Bayelsa, said the championship had helped her improve her skills and she was proud of her progress.

Tontonye, who began playing squash just three years ago, said she was introduced to the sport by a friend in Bayelsa.

She noted that although her mother initially disapproved, she worked harder to prove that she was serious about making an impact in the sport.

Tontonye won a silver medal in the women’s singles at the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State a feat that broke a long-standing record of no female squash medalists from Bayelsa at the festival.

She credited the Prime Atlantic Championship and other local tournaments for helping her grow and pursue her dream of becoming a top contender in the sport.

In matches played on Day Three, Aishat Abdulraheem defeated Salami Maryam 11-1, 11-2, 11-2 (3-0), while Deborah Idowu won 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (3-0) in the U-19 women’s category.

Mariam Oshodi beat Loveth Balogun 11-4, 11-2, 11-4, while Ishola Zainob defeated Chioma Ude 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (3-0).

The championship, which served off on June 9 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, will end on June 14. (NAN)