For the first time since the commencement of the Dayak Open, Nigeria’s Sylvester Emmanuel has qualified for the quarterfinals of the doubles event without as much as hitting a ball.
Naija Tennis Special checks in Abuja revealed that the Spain-based player who made it to the semis of the Tombim Abuja Open and his Nigerian-born partner, Calvin Hemery, had to walk over their opponents because they were unavailable for the encounter.
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| Sylvester waited patiently for the serve that never came… Photo: Ewaoche Ameh. |
Sources say one of wild card entrants Hugo Largo and Mark Verryth from Spain and Australia respectively, was indisposed and had to retire his singles match, thereby ruling out his participation in the doubles event.
Sylvester will be hoping to get second time lucky when they get to the quarter final stage of the event as he will fancy his chances of reaching his first-ever doubles final and maybe win it.
Meanwhile, action resumes in the Singles event tomorrow as Clifford Enosoregbe and Sylvester will be squaring up against Mateusz Smolicki and Aron Pierce (both of whom made it to the Main Draws through the qualifying series) respectively.
Christian Paul will face a stiff competition in former Nigerian champion, Thomas Otu, in an all-Nigerian affair on Tuesday.