Ivy wins ladies Milo open championship

Ivy Aryetey on Friday won the Ladies event of this year's Milo Open Championship with a straight sets 6 3, 6-4 victory over Abigail Opoku-Mensah at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ivy for her price took home a trophy, 1.2 million cedis, a carton of Milo, Milo sports bag, tennis racket and four tennis balls while the runner-up received 800, 000 cedis, a carton of Milo, a sports bag and two tennis balls.

In a tough final encounter, young Abigail playing for the first time in the ladies event after being promoted from the Under-16 category gave the eventual champion a good run for her money as she fought till the very end.

Ivy, the number one seed was surprised in the very first game as her serve was broken but surprisingly Abigail could not hold unto the advantage as she gave it back in the next game.

The set then went with serve until the eighth game when Ivy broke her opponent and held unto the lead to win 6-3.

The second set was a bizarre one as both players were not able to hold unto their servings but rather won on their opponent's serve till the seventh game.

Ivy then took control of proceedings in the ninth game when she broken Abigail's serve with some powerful ground-strokes which her tired opponents had difficulties dealing with.

After the break advantaged, Ivy held unto her serve to win the second set 6-4. In the men semi finals, Akwasi Ahinkrah, the event's top seed made it into the finals with straight sets victory over Eric Atobaba who is seeded third. The first set ended 6-1 in Ahinkrah's favour and was leading the second 3-0 when his opponent retired.

In the other semi finals, Patrick Nortey seeded seventh caused an upset when he beat number two seed Fred Egyir in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 setting up a date with Ahinkrah in the men's finals on Saturday.

Emmanuel Mensah won the boy's under 16 event with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Owusu Manford whiles Jenet Ampofo won the ladies under 16 event when she beat Patience Kudolo 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Winners of the under 16 events in the boys and girls divisions took home a trophy, 300,000 cedis, a carton of Milo, sports bag and four tennis balls. Runner-up in the Under-16 events received a pair of canvass, a carton of Milo, sports bag and two tennis balls.

Emma Cudjoe emerge winner of the girls under 13 event with an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory over Antoinette Cruckshank.

The Under 13 winner received a trophy, 300,000 cedis, a carton of Milo, sports bag and four tennis balls the runner-up took home a pair of canvass, a carton of Milo, sports bag and two tennis balls.