Team Nigeria will take on Côte d’Ivoire in their third match at the ongoing Davis Cup Africa Group III Qualifier event in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital.
After a very impressive start to their campaign at the tournament, the home team were pegged back by a rampaging Namibian side in the two Singles matches played on Wednesday, 17 July, 2024.
Wilson Igbinovia could not contain the firepower of Codie Schalk Van Shalykwyk losing 1-6, 1-6 to the Namibian player.
In the second rubber, Nigeria’s number one player in the Davis Cup event, Christopher Bulus, started with a brilliant 6-3 win against Connor Henry Van Schalkwyk.
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But in the second set, the US-based Nigerian star player succumbed to a 6-7 tiebreak loss against the former world number 36 junior player to set up a final set encounter.
In the final set, Bulus suffered a thigh injury which stopped him from moving his legs and despite the treatments, it was too little, too late as Namibia held on for an infamous 6-1 win in the final set to take a two-game lead in the tie.
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Daniel Adeleye and Michael Emmanuel tried to redeem the image of the home team but despite their late fight back, the Namibian pair of Jean Erasmus and Codie Shalk Van Shalkwyk ensured a 3-0 win over Nigeria with a 7-6(4), 6-3 defeat of the home team.
As things stand, the Nigerian team sit fourth on the group of six countries and must win their match against the Ivorians who are yet to win a single match at the ongoing competition.
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A win for team Nigeria will give the boys a timeline in their quest to gain promotion to World Group II.
Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe are the countries competing for promotion from Africa Group III.
Three nations will gain promotion while two will be relegated to Group IV. Only one of the six teams will remain in Group III at the end of the event.