Olympics tennis: Oshonaike out; Offiong Edem marches on

Team Nigeria

Olympics tennis: Oshonaike out; Offiong Edem marches on

July 24, 2021

Team Nigeria
Nigeria’s delegation parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

Multiple Olympic Games participant Funke Oshonaike has been sent packing from the Tokyo 2020 Games in the preliminary round.

The 45-year-old Oshonaike lost 1-4 to Juan Liu of the U.S in the women’s table tennis singles.

Oshonaike who has represented Nigeria at seven Olympic Games failed to come to the party losing the first three sets to her opponent.

She lost the first set 7-11, the second 3-11 and the third 4-11, before winning the fourth set 13-11 and then losing the fifth 4-11 to crash out of the Games.

Compatriot Offiong Edem, in her own match, however thrashed Hungarian opponent Dora Madarasz 4-1 in another preliminary round fixture.

Edem came out triumphant after winning the first set 11-8, the second 11-9 and the third 11-9 to complete an amazing 3-0 lead.

Madarasz however looked to bounce back in the fourth set after taking it 11-9, before Edem extinguished any comeback hopes when she dismissed her opponent 11-4 in the fifth set.(NAN)