Even though they did not know each other before their participation in the Dayak Tennis Championship in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Brazil’s Diego Matos and Dalwinder Singh got to know they were birthday mates during the tournament, and rightly celebrated on the same day.
While Matos said he clocked 30, his Indian friend said he was just 22, as friends and tennis colleagues sang a happy birthday song for the pair before the cutting of the cake inside the player’s lounge.
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| The beautiful cake cut by the players to celebrate their birthday on Friday, 27 April. |
Reacting to the celebration and the cutting of the cake, Matos said it was an unbelievable feeling for them to have been celebrated in such a fashion, something which he added is a rarity for him.
“It was an unbelievable feeling to have been celebrated like that. Great cake, great people here. I was excited when they sang the song and I am grateful to everyone who thought it wise to put this together,” the 30-year-old told Nigerian Tennis Live after the brief celebration in Abuja.
While also reacting to the celebration, India’s Dalwinder said: “Great cake, man. I enjoyed the song too. Thanks to everybody.”
Both players could not make it beyond the first round of the Dayak Tennis Championship but Mr. Singh, ranked 1213 in the world, played in the second round of the Tombim Abuja Open before crashing to Maximilian Neuchrist, the Australian number two seed who also lost out in the quarter finals.
The tournament will reach its climax on Saturday, 28 April as players gear up for the final leg of the three-week-long competition.
Nigerian Tennis Live is in Abuja to publish the countdown to the finale. Below are some of the pictures taken during the short event inside the players’ lounge:
