Team Akwa Ibom delivered an outstanding performance in tennis at the 2nd Niger Delta Games, winning four medals in the sport (three gold and one silver) and reaching almost every final in the competition.
The state featured in all the tennis finals except the men’s doubles event, which was won by Team Ondo. Akwa Ibom, however, made a strong statement by winning key titles on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Team Akwa Ibom defeated Team Edo in the women’s doubles final, with Favour Sunday and Etoro Bassey securing gold. The mixed doubles final also took place on Tuesday, where Etoro Bassey and Wisdom Effiong defeated Team Ondo to win another gold medal.
The singles finals were played on Wednesday. Wisdom Effiong produced a commanding display to win the men’s singles final, defeating Ahmed Zion of Team Ondo in straight sets, 7–5 and 6–3, to secure gold for Akwa Ibom.
Etoro Bassey also reached the women’s singles final, where she fought hard against Suwa Nenrot of Team Edo. Despite her strong effort, she lost in three sets, 4–6, 6–4, 6–1, to settle for a silver medal.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, was present in the stands on Wednesday to witness both singles finals. He later praised Etoro Bassey for her fighting spirit and composure, describing her performance as a proud moment for the state.
As at the time of this report, Team Akwa Ibom has won a total of 43 medals at the 2nd Niger Delta Games as the competition moves towards its conclusion.
