Can Olobo Save Uganda?
Dec 12, 2002
HAVING dumped Daniel Ruyange out of the ITF East African U-18 circuit, Nigerian star Lawal Sheshu faces another Ugandan, Patrick Olobo, in the semi-finals on centre court at Lugogo today.
By Mark Namanya
Uganda’s sole semi-finalist takes on Nigerian top seed Lawal Sheshu
Semi-final matches
Olobo v Sheshu
Hagenimana v Idoko
Sheshu’s path to semis bye
Sheshu bt Abdelal 6-4 6-4
Sheshu bt Kazungu 6-3 6-4
Sheshu bt Ruyange 7-6 6-4
Olobo’s path to semis
bye
Olobo bt Oyet 6-1 6-4
Olobo bt Matong 6-2 6-4
Olobo bt Habiyambere6-4 6-0
HAVING dumped Daniel Ruyange out of the ITF East African U-18 circuit, Nigerian star Lawal Sheshu faces another Ugandan, Patrick Olobo, in the semi-finals on centre court at Lugogo today.
The other semi-final duel is between Rwanda’s Eric Hagenimana and another Nigerian, Candy Idoko.
Olobo will definitely need to be at his lethal best to stand any chance against the Nigerian top seed.
Sheshu’s all round game has wilted opponents and Olobo, despite having his own armoury does not poses a serve as good as the Nigerian’s.
Youth team coach James Odong believes Olobo has an outside chance of upsetting the form book.
“Sheshu’s game is a mix of baseline tennis and some serve and volley play.
But we have studied him and know some of his weaknesses. His forehand is not as good as the other aspects of his game,†Odong said.
“He can also become inconsistent. He is more comfortable with the short balls as compared to the long balls,†added Odong.
Hard fighting Sheshu has already tormented Ugandan opposition, in the form of Daniel Ruyange, but in Olobo, he faces a different player.
The statistics for either player are almost perfect and promise a fascinating clash.
None has lost a set so far after straight set victories throughout.
Among Sheshu’s casualties on the road to the final were Sudan’s Yahya Abdelalal and the highly rated Pascal Kazungu of Rwanda.
Olobo eliminated Botswana’s Phenyo Matong before claiming another victim in Rwanda’s Diedone Habiyambere.
In the second match, Nigerian seed three, Idoko, conqueror of Patrick Ochan will strive for a possible all Nigerian final against Rwanda’s seed two Hagenimana on court three. Hagenimana won the ITF Rwanda championship.
The finals of this MTN/ITF sponsored tournament are scheduled for tomorrow. Ends
Uganda’s sole semi-finalist takes on Nigerian top seed Lawal Sheshu
Semi-final matches
Olobo v Sheshu
Hagenimana v Idoko
Sheshu’s path to semis bye
Sheshu bt Abdelal 6-4 6-4
Sheshu bt Kazungu 6-3 6-4
Sheshu bt Ruyange 7-6 6-4
Olobo’s path to semis
bye
Olobo bt Oyet 6-1 6-4
Olobo bt Matong 6-2 6-4
Olobo bt Habiyambere6-4 6-0
HAVING dumped Daniel Ruyange out of the ITF East African U-18 circuit, Nigerian star Lawal Sheshu faces another Ugandan, Patrick Olobo, in the semi-finals on centre court at Lugogo today.
The other semi-final duel is between Rwanda’s Eric Hagenimana and another Nigerian, Candy Idoko.
Olobo will definitely need to be at his lethal best to stand any chance against the Nigerian top seed.
Sheshu’s all round game has wilted opponents and Olobo, despite having his own armoury does not poses a serve as good as the Nigerian’s.
Youth team coach James Odong believes Olobo has an outside chance of upsetting the form book.
“Sheshu’s game is a mix of baseline tennis and some serve and volley play.
But we have studied him and know some of his weaknesses. His forehand is not as good as the other aspects of his game,†Odong said.
“He can also become inconsistent. He is more comfortable with the short balls as compared to the long balls,†added Odong.
Hard fighting Sheshu has already tormented Ugandan opposition, in the form of Daniel Ruyange, but in Olobo, he faces a different player.
The statistics for either player are almost perfect and promise a fascinating clash.
None has lost a set so far after straight set victories throughout.
Among Sheshu’s casualties on the road to the final were Sudan’s Yahya Abdelalal and the highly rated Pascal Kazungu of Rwanda.
Olobo eliminated Botswana’s Phenyo Matong before claiming another victim in Rwanda’s Diedone Habiyambere.
In the second match, Nigerian seed three, Idoko, conqueror of Patrick Ochan will strive for a possible all Nigerian final against Rwanda’s seed two Hagenimana on court three. Hagenimana won the ITF Rwanda championship.
The finals of this MTN/ITF sponsored tournament are scheduled for tomorrow. Ends