Ambode, Dalong Draw Curtains On 15th Governor’s Cup Tennis

After almost two weeks of top class action, the curtains will fall on the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship on Saturday with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Sports Minister; Solomon Dalong scheduled to lead a host of dignitaries to grace the Closing Ceremony at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

The finals of Futures 4 (men and women’s singles) will be played with the women’s final coming up by 1p.m, followed immediately with the men’s final.

Governor Ambode, who is the Chief Host and the Special Guest of Honour, will lead other members of Lagos State Executive Council to the closing ceremony and final matches of the Governor’s Cup Tennis, the first to be staged since he assumed office last May.

Honourable Minister For Youths and Sports Solomon Dalung

The Governor’s Cup, since inception during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been a tournament organised to celebrate the sitting governor of Lagos State.

Other guests expected at the final ceremony include the President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Engr. Sani Ndanusa and his board members, President of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Rotimi Edu and members of the club, officials of sponsor company, LASACO and others, school children and other tennis pundits.

The International Tennis Federation, ITF, pro circuit is played for two weeks with this year’s Futures 3 won by Aldin Setkic from Bosnia (Men’s Singles) and 17-year-old Tessah Andrianjafitrimo from France (Women).

Meanwhile, the battles for who become the men and women champions in Futures 4 got hotter and interesting in the matches of the quarter final played on Thursday.

A major upset was recorded in the women singles as, Andrianjafitrimo was stopped by Julia Terziyska of Bulgaria, number two seed 6-2,6-3 while Slovakia’s Tadeja Majeric, finalist in Futures 3, who won one of the legs in 2013 edition, won her game against Prarthana Thombare of India in straight set of 6-2,6-2.

Top seed Valeriya Strakhova from Russia beat Ulrikke Eikeri from Norway in straight set of 6-2,6-0, while Conny Perrin from Switzerland stopped the ambition of the Chinese Xiaoxi Zhao in 6-2,6-0 match.

In the men’s singles, top seed Bosnia’s Aldin Setkic looks good to clinch double haing won the First leg as he defeated Karim-Mohammed Maamoun of Egypt 6-2,7-6(5). Second seed South African, Harris Llyod also clinched a semifinal place by beating France’s Fabien Reboul 6-3,6-4.

Men singles final 2014
photo credit; governorscuplagostennis.com

Zimbabwe player, Takanyi Garanganga defeated Duncan Mugabe of Uganda 6-2, 6-1, while Antal Van Der Duim of the Netherlands defeated Sadio Dolumba of France 6-1,6-4.

In the semi final pairings, Setkic will play against Garanganga, while Van der Duim will slug it out against Harris in the men’s game. Strakhova and Majeric will play one of the semi final matches in the women’s singles, while Perrin and Terziyska will play the second semi final game.

Gov’s Cup Tennis: French, Bosnia players win 1st leg, as Futures 4 begins Monday

The first leg (Futures 3) of the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship was concluded on Saturday with 17-year-old French lady, Tessah Andrianjaftrimo and Aldin Setkic of Bosnia winning the women and men’s singles respectively.

Right from the first round of the Main Draw eight seed Andrianjaftrimo showed her intention of being a champion with her style of play which saw her stopping top players standing on her way to glory.

She showed no mercy to her final opponent, 5th seed Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia who she defeated in 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 at the Lagos Tennis Club, Onikan.

Men’s singles top seed, Setkic justified his rating winning his way to the final and defeating French Sadio Doumbia in one sided two straight sets of 6-1,-6-0 in Saturday’s final

Andrianjaftrimo described Majeric as a tough opponent. She however said that she was happy winning the Governor’s Cup the very first time she was coming to Lagos to play an International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved competition.

The women’s doubles was won by the duo of Margarita Lazareva from Russia and Ukraine’s Valeriya Strakhova, while the men’s doubles was won by the pairs of Pel David and Van Der Duim Antal, both from the The Netherlands.

The Trophy Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship
photo credit; governorscuplagostennis.com

Trophies were presented to all the winners during a brief ceremony attended by the vice chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Engr. Afolabi Salami, President of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Rotimi Edu, Vice President of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Mr. Yemi Owoseni, Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa and a host of other guests.

Meanwhile, the second leg of the competition (Futures 4) served off on Sunday with some qualifying matches, while the Main Draws will begin on Monday. The grand finale of the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship will be held on Saturday, 19 December with the Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as special guests of honour

Governor’s Cup: End Of The Road For Nigeria…As Paul Bows To South African Star

Nigeria’s interest in the 15th Governor’s Cup was ended on Thursday as the country’s last hope in the singles of the $80, 000 prize-money championship, Christian Paul crashed out following a 6-1, 6-0 loss to South Africa’s Lloyd Harris at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Paul put up a great display to upset Ugandan Duncan Mugabe in the second round of the championship but he was no match for the fourth-seeded South African who wrapped up a convincing win in just over an hour.

Meanwhile, Thursday’s quarter final stage seems to be a day of upsets as many of the seeded players could not make it pass this stage.

Number 2 seed in the men’ singles Spain’s Pere Riba could not finish his match against number 5 seed, Sadio Doumbia as he retired in the second set of their game which ended 6-2,2-0. Zimbabwe’s Takanyi Garanganga, who is number 5 seed stopped Antal Van Der Duim of The Netherlands in straight set of 6-4,6-0.

In the women’s singles, tournament number 1 seed, Sherazad Reix of France could not complete the first set of her game against Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri. The match was called off at 4-0 with Eikeri leading. Number 8 seed, Tessah Andrianjafitrimo of France upset Bulgarian Julia Terziyska, number 3 seed in straight set of 6-1,4-1 retired. Conny Perrin of Switzerland beat Prarthana Thombare 7-5, 6-2.

Men singles final 2014
photo credit; governorscuplagostennis.com

Number 1 seed in the men’s singles, Bosnia’s Aldin Setkic won his game against Benin Republic’s Alexis Klegou in straight sets of 6-0,6-3.

The semi final of the first leg holds Friday with Setkic meeting Harris, while Garangaga will face Doumbia in the men’s singles.

In the women’s singles, Eikeri will play against Andrianjafitrimo, while Perrin will battle Majeric.

The finals of Futures 3 will hold on Saturday with prize money and trophies presented to the winners in the singles and doubles events, while the second leg (Futures 4) starts immediately with the qualifying matches.

Gov’s Cup Lagos Tennis: Nigeria’s Paul upsets Mugabe, to battle S/A star in Quarterfinal

Nigeria’s Christian Paul battled his way to the quarter final of the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship on Wednesday as he upsets Duncan Mugabe of Uganda in a second round match at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Paul, who is ranked number 2130 in the world shocked Mugabe, the 2014 finalist, who is ranked 1186 in straight set of 6-4, 6-4.

Paul was instrumental to Team Tombim’s winning of the NCC Team Tennis Cup at the same venue on Saturday, and his reward for the win over Mugabe, is a quarterfinal showdown with Llyod Harris of South Africa on Thursday. Harris, the number 3 seed, defeated David Pel of The Netherlands 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in their second round clash.

“I’m very happy to have played and defeated Mugabe, who is higher ranked than me. This has boosted my confidence that if I put in more effort I can make it in the competition this year,” said Paul, who played qualifying matches before making it to the Main Draws of the first leg (Futures 3) of the ongoing International Tennis Federation (ITF) sanctioned tournament.

“I have come to realise that Nigerian players have the potential to make it big at the Governor’s Cup but we are faced with the problem of not playing circuits around the world to gain exposure and experience. I want to beg Nigerians to come to our aid by sponsoring some of us to play tournaments around the world,” he said.

Other Nigerians who played their second round matches Wednesday were not as lucky as Sylvester Emmanuel fell 6-2, 6-2 to number 2 seed Pere Riba of Spain. while top seed, Aidin Setkic of Bosnia crushed Albert Bikom in 6-1,6-0.

The Nigerian ladies also found the going tough as Ronke Akingbade and Osariemen Airhunmwunde were comprehensively beaten by number 6 seed, Ulrikke Eikeri from Norway and Frenchwoman Tessah Andrianjaftrimo 6-0, 6-0, and 6-1, 6-0 respectively.

Men singles final 2014
photo credit; governorscuplagostennis.com

Other matches on Thursday will see, Setkic slug it out against Alexis Klegou of Benin Republic just as Riba will play against Cortes Alcaraz Aaron.

In the women’s games, number 1 seed, France’s Sherazad Reix will battle Eikeri, Terziyska Julia will play against Andrianjaftrimo of France, Indianrarthana Thombare will keep a date with Conny Perrin of Switzerland as Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia will confront Ukraine’s Valeriya Strakhova.