Sarah Adegoke and Thomas Setodji last Saturday justified their reputation as the top-ranked players by claiming the top honours in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively of the McDan West African Open Championship at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Togolese Thomas Setodji clinched his first title with a thrilling performance in the finals to dispatch Benin’s Felix Hounkpevi.
In an all outsiders affair, top-seed Setodji triumphed 6-2, 6-1 over Hounkpevi.
“What can I say about my Ghanaian fans, they have been wonderful to me, even though most of them don’t know my Grandmother is a Ghanaian,” Setodji said.
“I started this competition well, had a difficult second match but since then I have done well. I am glad I didn’t disappoint my fans and my family as well.
There was a landmark in the women’s singles when Sarah Adegoke claimed her second Mcdan Open title as she beat Angel MacLeod in two straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in an all Nigerian final to become the second female to win the championship back to back after Francisca Nyarko won it in 2014-2015.
Sarah Adegoke
As their reward, the two champions Setodji and Adegoke received $3,000 and $1,000 respectively as cash prizes in addition to silver trophies and products from the supporting sponsors including Twellium Industries, COCOBOD, GNPC and Babolat.
Mr. McKorley’s passion and desire to promote the sport extended further as he donated a mini-bus to the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF).
The two final games were played at the Frank Ofori centre court before a packed crowd, including dignitaries such as the Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah; a Deputy Minister of Communications, Nenyi George Andah; Ghana Olympic Committee president, Ben Nunoo Mensah, and the CEO of the McDan Group of Companies, Dr Daniel McKorley.
Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah