Lagos Open Tennis 2nd Leg: 4 Nigerians To Play Main Draws Fixtures

Nigeria’s Sylvester Emmanuel

Four Nigerian players have made their ways to play in the Main Draws of the second leg of 2019 Lagos Open Tennis Championship.

The second leg of the ITF World Tour, sponsored by Heineken and other co-sponsors, served off Tuesday after the conclusion of matches of the first leg on Monday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

In the qualifying matches decided on Tuesday, Nigerian Godgift Timibra defeated Ghanaian Andrew Adu Appiah in straight sets of 6-1,6-3 in the men’s event, while Paul Emmanuel beat compatriot Tochukwu Emmanuel Ezeh in another straight sets of 6-4,7-5. Gabriel Friday could not complete his match against Sylvester Emmanuel, as he retired when the result was 6-1. In the women qualifying games, Ronke Akingbade picked a Main Draws ticket at the expense of Ozi-Oiza Josephine Yakubu in a game that ended 7-6(1),6-1.

However, local players such as Patience Onebamhoni, Aanu Aiyegbusi, Sabath Ibrahim, Sarah Adegoke, Omolade Aderemi, Amala Nwokolo, Rachel Olamide Adunoye, Albert Bisong Bikom and Wilson Oswalele Igbinovia all lost their qualifying matches on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Main Draws of the second leg will begin on Wednesday with matches of the first round starting from 9:30am.

France’s Camry Hemery and Sada Nahimana from Burundi who won the first legs men and women’s singles respectively will have their hands full as other players will be out to stop their ambition of winning the Lagos Open Tennis back-to-back their year when the hostilities start on Wednesday.

Alinnor Arinze