Last Updated: 2007-05-24 07:22:39

Atseye, eyes semi-final

Two times West African junior champion, Henry Atseye, believes that he is now ready to show tennis buffs, who come to watch the CBN Open Tennis Championship, that he can stand his own against the best players in the country.

CBN Open Tennis Championship:
Atseye, who at the last two editions of the CBN Open was eliminated from the competition at the quarterfinal stage, says he is now mature in the game to aspire for the crown this year. According to the Chevron Junior Clinic graduate, despite the presence of the best players in Nigeria in the competition, "I believe that I have all it takes to get to the final and even win the crown.

"In the main draw, there are a lot of good players, but I will stick tight to my game and fight all the way till the last moment. "Success or failure in the competition depends on how well I fight and with the experience I have acquired in the junior circuit nothing stops me from taking the number one position here if everything works according to plans."

Talking up the qualities that he believes would help him overcome the older players at the CBN Open, Atseye said: "I have won the West African junior title in Nigeria for two consecutive years. I also won the same title in Benin Republic this year and went on to play at the ITF Junior Championship in Botswana, where I got to the third round in the singles and the semi-final in the doubles. "I acquired a lot of experience on the road and this is what I want to display in this competition."He cites the increased prize money in this year's
edition of the competition as enough motivation for the players to put in their best at the championship,saying that the "organisation is perfect for good tennis."

According to Atseye, "CBN is one of the biggest tournaments in Nigeria, with the right prize money to spur the players to give it their best shot."The players all want to win because with the money at stake, we can get the right equipment to improve our game. N500, 000 is enough to help the players, who do well at thecompetition, to acquire canvas shoes, strings and rackets and other things. So, I expect a tough fight from my opponents, but I am equal to the task."

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Atseye, eyes semi-final

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