Nigeria’s Davis Cup team has risen in the recent nations rankings despite losing the World Group II Playoffs to South Africa.
The Nigerian quartet of Christopher Bulus, David Ekpenyong, Canice Abua and Michael Emmanuel led by Coach Benson Ishicheli went to Pretoria, South Africa with the hope of picking one of the tickets from the African region.
And in the opening fixture, South Africa’s Philip Henning took out Ekpenyong 6-1, 6-1 before Bulus defeated Kris Van Wyk in the second tie in a final set encounter that stunned the hosts. The US-based Nigerian tennis star won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6.
READ ALSO: Rainoil Tennis Open: Bulus Returns; Atilola, Mohammed Shine In Opening Matches
On the second day of the tie, South Africa came all out in the Doubles as the pair of Alec Beckley and Henning defeated the Nigerian duo of Canice Abua and Michael Emmanuel 6-0, 6-3 before Henning took the final Singles match.
He lost the first set to Bulus 6-7 but was quite emphatic in the second and third sets where he won 6-4, 6-4 to send the South Africans inside the Groenkloof Tennis Stadium into a wild jubilation.
Despite this situation, however, the Nigerian team had done enough to move upwards on the nations rankings as released by Davis Cup on Monday, 3 February, 2025.
READ ALSO: Khadijat Mohammed Is Nigeria’s New No. 1 Player In Latest National Rankings
According to the rankings, Nigeria is now ranked 77th in the world, moving up five spots from the initial spot they occupied prior to the commencement of the competition while South Africa dropped a spot on the rankings in spite of the win against Nigeria.
They now occupy number 58 on the world nations’ ranking and will be playing in World Group II of the Davis Cup later this year while Nigeria will strive to return to World Group II playoffs during the Africa Group III qualifier sometime in June, 2025.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep our readers updated on the latest information from around the country and beyond, as they unfold.