Lagos is set to play host to no fewer than 240 players across 57 countries of the the world in this year’s Lagos Open Tennis Championship, Nigeria Tennis Live reports.
This figure implies the number of individuals who have signified their interest in featuring at the 2019 edition of the competition which will hold at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos from 7 -20 October, 2019.
Formerly known as the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, Lagos Open is being organised annually to celebrate the sitting Executive Governor of Lagos State since the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This year, the 19th edition, will be the first in the government of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The 240 players, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) consist of 133 who will compete in the men’s singles and doubles events, while 107 players will play in the women’s singles and doubles during the ITF World Tour in Lagos, one of the emerging mega cities of the world.
Twenty-eight year old Japanese Shuichi Sekiguchi is the highest ranked player in the men’s category. He is ranked 286 on the ATP world ranking, followed by Tunisian Skander Mansouri who is 341 and French Tom Jomby (404).
Jomby is a regular face in the Lagos Open as well as compatriot Calvin Hemery (561). Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Lock (471) and Takanyi Garanganga (623) are also making a return to Lagos.
Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone is leading the women’s players to the 19th Lagos Open Tennis. She is 161 on WTA world ranking, followed by Aleksandrina Naydenova from Bulgaria (218) and Amandine Hesse from France (236) making the top three.
A good number of the female players are also returning to Lagos this year. They include Valeriya Strakhova (384) from Ukraine, Julia Terziyska (427) from Bulgaria (427), Austrian Melanie Klaffner (612) and American Alexandra Riley (1126) , Israeli Ester Masuri and Nigerian-born American Adesuwa Osabuohien.
Some of the registered Nigerian women players are Barakat Oyinlomo Quadre, Sarah Adegoke, Blessing Anuna, Aanu Ayegbusi and Blessing Samuel.
Some of the countries where the players will be coming to Lagos from include; USA, France, Britain, Canada, Russia, Australia, Austria, Mexico, Germany, Ukraine, India, Italy, Japan, China, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, among others.
A total prize of $100, 000 is at stake in the two weeks event in the men ($50,000) and women ($50,000).