Nigeria’s hopeful in the first leg (Futures 3) of 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship, Christian Paul, was defeated in the quarter final on Thursday by number four seed from South Africa, Llyod Harris, in straight sets of 6-1, 6-0 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
Paul was the only surviving local player in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) sanctioned tournament, who from the qualifying round scaled the hurdles to the main draw, defeating higher ranked player from Uganda in the second round, Duncan Mugabe, before being sent packing in the quarter final by a more-experienced South African player.
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| Christian Paul of Nigeria during the Governor’s Cup Lagos |
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| Paul returning a serve during his match. |
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| Lloyd Harris doing what he knows how best to do. |
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| Harris returning a serve during the tournament in Lagos. |
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| Another foreign star slugging it out with her foreign counterpart in Lagos. |
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| Gritty… Ukranian star returning a serve during her match at the ongoing Championship in Lagos. |
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| Nice return by the Ukranian yet again… |
Meanwhile, Thursday’s quarter final stage seems to be a day of upsets as many of the seeded players were disappointed as they could not make it pass this stage.
Number two seed in the men’ singles, Spain’s Pere Riba could not finish his match against number five seed, Sadio Doumbia, as he retired in the second set of their game which ended 6-2, 2-0. Zimbabwe’s Takanyi Garanganga, another top seed, stopped Antal Van Der Duim of The Netherlands in straight set of 6-4, 6-0.
In the women’s singles, tournament’s number one seed, Sherazad Reix of France could not complete the first set of her game against Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri. The match was called off at 4-0. Number eight seed, Tessah Andrianjafitrimo of France upset Bulgarian Julia Terziyska, number three seed in straight set of 6-1, 4-1 retired while regular attendee, Conny Perrin of Switzerland beat Prarthana Thombare 7-5, 6-2.
Number one seed in the men’s singles, Bosnia’s Aldin Setkic won his game against Benin Republic’s Alexis Klegou in straight set of 6-0,6-3.
The semi final of the first leg holds Friday with Setkic meeting Harris, while Garangaga will face Doumbia in the men’s singles.
In the women’s singles, Eikeri will play against Andrianjafitrimo, while Perrin will battle Majeric.
The finals of Futures 3 will hold on Saturday with prize money and trophies to be presented to the winners in the singles and doubles events, while the second leg (Futures 4) starts immediately with the qualifying matches.