Nigerian Players Set To Redeem Image
As Futures 2 of the 10th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship serves off today, Nigerian players are set to redeem their image after their poor outing in the first leg of the ITF-approved tournament.
Some Nigerian players have already played their ways into the Main Draws of the second leg, based on their victories in the qualifying matches decided at the weekend.
The likes of Sunday Emmanuel, Henry Atseye, Sanni Adamu, Umaru Balami, Kingsley Enosorogbe, and Onyeka Mbanu will play in the Main Draws which begin today in the Etisalat/FCMB sponsored championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria.
Seven local players, three in the male and four in the female categories were given wild cards that gave them an automatic qualification for the Main Draws. The players are Abdulmumini Babalola, Candy Idoko and Shehu Lawal.
Others are Christie Agugbom, Ronke Akingbade, Fatimah Abinu and Blessing Samuel.
Meanwhile, the first leg of the tournament ended Saturday with Isreali and Slovak players carting away the star prizes of the Men and Women’s Singles respectively.
Amir Weintraub of Isreal left no one in doubt of his aim to win Futures 1 with his superb performance from the first round of the Main Draw through Saturday’s final.
Although his opponent, Karan Rastogi from India won the first set 6-2, the Isreali star came back forcefully to win the match in the last two sets 6-4,7-5.
In the Women’s Singles, Slovak Zuzana Kucova was too hot for her French opponent, Natalie Piquion, who fell in straight sets of 6-2,6-0.
In a post-match interview, Weintraub said he did not know he would win the first leg because of the standard of the tourney.
“My opponent was good but I’m so happy with this feat. I think this victory will give me the courage to do better in the second leg,” he said.
Kucova, said after winning the first leg, her target is now the Futures 2. “I was here last year and winning the first leg, I think repeating the same feat here this year will be a great achievement,” she said.
The pair of Amir Weintraub and Boy Westerhof walked over Laurent Rochette of France and Diels Desein of Belgium to win the Men’s Doubles. Desein pulled out of the final due to an ankle injury he suffered in his semi final match on Friday.
The pair of Nina Bratchikova of Russia and Agnes Satmari of Romania beat Anna Brazhnikova of Sweden 6-4,6-3 to win the Women’s Doubles.
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