The final leg of the 2015 Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship began on a rather bad note for some Nigerian players as the first round of the main draw got underway at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan on Monday.
Unlike in the first leg (Future 3) where Nigerian players made positive impacts with few of them making progress to the latter stages, it was a forgetful experience for the host players as they were sent packing by their highly experienced foreign counterparts.
In the men’s singles, Nigeria’s Thomas Otu was beaten by number two seed Harris Llyod of South Africa in 0-6,2-6 while his compatriot, Christopher Edwar also stumbled to a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to third seed Takanyi Garanganga of Zimbabwe.
It was the same fate for Christian Paul, who was Nigeria’s best performer in the first leg where he reached the quarterfinals, as he was outclassed 6-2, 6-1 by New Zealand’s Ben McLachlan.
In the women’s singles, Patience Onebamhoin was comprehensively beaten 6-0, 6-0, by number eight seed Prarthana Thombare of India while another Nigerian, Osariemen Airhunmwunde was defeated with embarrassing ease by Ushua Suhail of Pakistan 6-0, 6-1.
Nigerian-born Russian player, Melissa Ifidzhen defeated Sabath Ibrahim 6-1, 6-0 just as Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri advance to the second round with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Ester Masuri of Israel
China’s Xiaoxi Zhao and Margarita Lazareva, the sixth seed from Russia also progresses with wins over Slovakia’s Nina Kolar and Eden D’Oliveira from South Africa 6-1,6-0 and 6-4,6-4 respectively.
Daughter of Zimbabwe Tennis Federation president, Valeria Bhunu, a runner up in the women’s doubles final in the first leg, bagged a 6-2, 6-0 win over Riley Alexandia of USA to also stay on course.
Other first round matches are billed to be completed on Tuesday with no fewer than five Nigerian players scheduled for action.
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