Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Nigerian Players Make Poor Start In Final Leg

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.

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.

Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis: Nigerians face tough tests in second round

After what seems to be a jolly ride in the first round, Nigerian players are in for a real battle going in to the next round of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship as the first leg (Futures 3) of the tournament enters second round Wednesday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

According to the order of play for the second round matches, Sylvester Emmanuel, who upset an America’s Anderson Reed on Monday, will confront number two seed, Pere Riba of Spain.

Also, Albert Bikom will face tough test against number one seed, Aldin Setkic of Bosnia in another match just as Thomas Otu will slug it out with Van Der Duim of The Netherlands, the number six seed. Christian Paul will keep a date with sixth-seeded Duncan Mugabe of Uganda, who was a finalist last year.

In the Women’s Singles, Nigeria’s Osariemen Airhunmwunde will face Andrianjafitrimo Tessah of France, the number eight seed as Ronke Akingbade will clash with number sixth seed, Uirkke Eikeri from Norway.

Other matches of the second round will see South African Llyod Harris taking on David Pel of The Netherlands in the men’s singles, while Murta Lazareva of Russia will battle Thombere Prarthana Thombre of India in the women’s singles.

Conny Perrin of Switzerland will slug it out against Mara Schmidt of the USA. Tadeja Majeric of Slovaika will play against Ester Masuri of Israel. Alexandra Riley of America will have a showdown with Strakhova of Ukraine. Top seed Sherazad Reix of France will play against Valeria Bhunu of Zimbabwe.

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

Meanwhile, Clifford Enosoregbe of Nigeria could not make it to the second round Tuesday when he was defeated by Pere Riba of Spain in straight sets of 6-1, 6-0. Another Nigerian, Christopher Edward was beaten by Antal Van Der Duim of The Netherlands in straight of 6-3,6-2 while Mohammed Mohammed also bowed out to another Dutchman David Pel 6-1, 6-2.

Also, Nigeria’s Joseph Imeh retired in the first set of his match against France’s Fabien Reboul, while Nigerian born female player, Mellisa Ishuan Ifidzen, who represented Russia in the Governor’s Cup, was defeated by Thombere Prarthana Thombre of India in 6-2, 6-1 game in the Women’s Singles.