South Africa, who are clear favourites to emerge champions at the ongoing BNP Paribas World Team Cup African Qualification event, have continued to set the pace at the event
South Africa who boast of the highest ranked male and female players at the wheelchair tennis championship, ensured a perfect record against their opponents when they took to the courts for their matches on Thursday, 8 February, 2024.
After their complete routing of their opponents on Thursday, 7 February, 2024, the South African Women went on a 6-0 routing of their Egyptian opponents on day two. Mariska Venter started the day with the defeat of Saka Hadad just as Kgothatso Montjane beat Eman Hassan with the same 6-0, 6-0 score line.
In the third rubber, Montjane and Benter partnered to see off the Egyptian pair of Hadad and Hassan 6-0, 6-0.
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For their male counterparts, it was another 3-0 win as their intent to extend their lead was obvious from the start.
Eliphas Maripa ripped into his Tanzanian opponent Albert Churi with a 6-1, 6-0 win which was the same outcome of the match between Alwande Sikhosana and Jumanne Ramadhani which ended in favour of the South African.
In the third and final match, Maripa and Sikhosana partnered to defeat the Tanzanian duo of Voster Lengonela and Ramadhani in a 6-0, 6-0 game.
The Nigerian women were also on a rampage against their Ghanaian opponents as Foluke Shodeinde and Kafayat Omisore set the tone for what ended as a 3-0 win for the hosts.
Shodeinde who started the opening match on centre court inside the tennis section of the National Stadium, got the better of Stacy Mensah with a 6-3, 6-2 win while Omisore had to come from behind to defeat Bridget Nartey 1-6, 6-0, 6-1 in the second rubber.
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The Nigerian pair of Shodeinde and Kemi Oluwasegun combined to beat Mensah and Nartey 6-2, 6-0 in the final rubber.
Team Tanzanian continued from where they stopped on Wednesday, 7 February, by piling pressure on Kenya with a 2-1 win.
Like their men, Tanzanian women ensured they did not lose out totally in their three rubbers even though Lucy Shirima lost her first rubber to Asiya Sururu in a game that ended 3-6, 3-6.
In the second rubber, however, Rehema Selemani, Tanzania’s biggest player, atoned for her counterpart’s loss by defeating Jane Ndenga 6-2, 6-2 before partnering with Pendo Zengo to win 6-4, 6-2 against Phoebe Masika and Sururu in the final game.
Egypt and Rwanda completed respective 3-0 wins against Cameroon and Mauritius on the day to boost their chances of qualifying to represent Africa at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup proper in Turkey.
Abd Elrahman led the Egyptian charge with a 6-0, 6-0 defeat of Moise Doto while Hassan Emad got the better of Alhadji Mouhaman with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Emad and Salah would later partner to defeat Cameroon’s Doto and Mouhaman 6-1, 6-0 in the final rubber.
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On their part, Rwanda’s Viator Dusabimana battled to a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Nooreshan Alleeare from Mauritius before the second Rwandan Jean Luc Dusengimana bested Matthieu Lambin with a 6-1, 6-2 win.
In the final match, the Alleeare and Lambin combined to put a resistance against Ndayishimiye Ernest and Emmanuel Hakizimana but ended up on the losing side as the game ended 6-1, 6-0 in favour of the Rwandan players.
In the Men’s fixtures for Friday, 9 February, 2024, Nigeria will take on Cameroon Morocco will come up against Mauritius while Kenya will trade serves versus South Africa.
Moroccan Women will take on hosts Nigeria in a top of the table clash while South Africa will hope to continue their perfect start to the competition when they face Tanzania’s talented side.
Winners of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup African Qualification Event will represent Africa at the Main Event in Turkey come May, 2024.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep all our readers updated on the latest news from the five-day competition which ends on Sunday, 11 February, 2024.