Babalola Lands In 2nd Round

Nigerian Abdulmumini Babalola defied all odds to get himself into the second round of the first leg of the ongoing Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan yesterday.

Wildcard Babalola beat Ivorian star, Nugent Terence in a tension soak game that ended 6-2, 7-6 before the rain disrupted other matches of the day. The game was full of excitement on the part of tennis fans who from the first set of the match cheered Babalola to victory in the championship sponsored by Etisalat and FCMB.

But Bala Habu Musa of Nigeria was no so lucky in his match against the 3rd seed Indian Vishnu Vardhan who bowed down in straight sets of 6-0, 6-1. Also Rose Ojonimi was beating by Conny Perrin of Switzerland in 6-0, 6-0.

In other matches decided yesterday, top seed in the women’s singles, Nina Bratchikova of Russia beat Italian Stephanie Scimone 6-2,6-1. 2nd seed Karan Rastogi of Indian defeated Russian Alexei Filenkov 6-4,6-1. Croatian Donna Vekic sent out Aussie Melanie Klaffner in 6-4,6-1 game. Karolina Nowak of Germany was not lucky to scale the hurdle of Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia in 4-6,6-0,6-0 game.

Number 3 seed, Tamaryn Hendler of Belgium could not survive Dalla Jakupovic of Slovakia as she retired in the second of their match which ended 7-5, 1-0.

Curovic beat Nour Azzouz of Egypt in 6-2,6-0 game.

—Olusegun Abidoye