17th November, 2014
Damilare Okunola
Nigeria’s number one male tennis player, Clifford Enosoregbe, lived up to his pre-tournament billing as a top player by winning his first match at the ongoing Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Invitational Championship, convincingly.
Enosoregbe defeated Jonah Samuel in two straight sets winning 6-2, 6-4 inside the centre court of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Court, LLTC, Onikan, Lagos, venue of the ongoing Championship.
The 2013 Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN losing finalist, however complained of a high humid condition during the encounter which lasted less than an hour.
In the same fashion, 13-year old Angel McCleod, made little of her encounter against Comfort Spencer, defeating her more experienced opponent, 6-4, 6-2 in an entertaining encounter.
The Dubai-based tennis prodigy believes that she can only get better as the tournament progresses. “That was just my first match and as much as I was happy to have won in that manner, I believe that I can still get better as the competition progresses,” she said.
In other results, Lawal Shehu struggled to defeat Sunday Emmanuel 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5, Sunday Maku ousted Ekiti Open winner, Thomas Otu 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 in a fierce contest while Nonso Madueke outclassed Ikeckukwu Iloputa 6-1, 6-1.
Albert Bikom defeated Jinadu Owolabi 6-1, 6-4, while youngster Sylvester Emmanuel, who has a semi-final target, also walloped Jonathan Okwudili, 6-3, 6-0.
In the only match involving other African players, Duncan Mugade from Uganda defeated Candy Idoko 6-3, 6-2.
Beauty McCleod defeated Bukola Olowu 6-1, 6-3, in another exciting fixture decided this afternoon at the LLTC in Onikan.
Other first round matches will be decided tomorrow as the players get into the money spinning stages of the FCMB/ Etisalat Nigeria sponsored tournament.