Despite Rain, LLTC Jam-Packed For Lagos Open Tennis Grand Finale (PHOTOS)

SUNDAY AKINTOYE

Students of Lagos secondary schools were at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan despite the heavy rain on Sunday.

Dignitaries, fans and students defied the heavy downpour in Lagos and its environs on Sunday to keep a date with history to watch the finals of the 2019 Lagos Open Tennis Championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Though the finals could not hold due to the rain because it has been the rule of the game that tennis could not be played on wet ground, the grand finale day of the ITF World Tennis Tour was a beehive of activities as the venue was filled up with fans to watch what could have been the most glamorous and memorable finals of the championship since inception in year 2000.

The wet centre court of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club before dignitaries and fans arrived

The matches of both the men and women’s singles were supposed to start by 1pm, but when it get to some few minutes to 5pm and the rain refused to stop, the ITF Supervisor, Patrick Kamuhia in conjunction with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) announced the postponement of the finals to Monday with the first match of the day starting by 10am with the women’s singles: the match between Indian Riya Bhatia and Nastja Kolar from Slovenia. This will be followed by the men’s singles final between Aldin Setkic from Bosnia and Calvin Hemery from France.

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwolu-Olu of Lagos, who supposed to declare the tournament closed on Sunday is still being expected during the finals on Monday, so also is the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare. Before the announcement of the postponement, the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan was a beehive of activities with the venue already jam-packed.

P.M. EXPRESS in its usual character presents a photo news of the botched grand finale .

The Tournament Director, Prince Wale Oladunjoye (left) with Chairman Accommodation/Transport/Welfare Committee, Dr. Niran Adeniji and the LOC Vice Chairman, Engr. Afolabi Salami.

Sponsor, Heineken, ensures that its beer went round all tables and fans to spice up the cold weather

Mr. Ifedayo Akindoju, President Nigeria Tennis Federation (left) with the Tournament Director, Prince Oladunjoye

The trophies at stake on display

Cross section of fans

Students taking their seats before the finals were called off

A section of the LLTC taking up by the fans

Alinnor Arinze