Atseye, Adetunji crash out of Governor’s tennis tourney
The ongoing 17th edition of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championships has recorded more casualties with more Nigerian players crashing out in the men’s singles event yesterday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unseeded Thomas Otu, lost to Croatia’s unseeded Matej Sabanov in two sets, 6-0, 6-3.
Otu, who is currently ranked 1,565, said that his opponent was more experienced and edged him out him with his service.
“The first set was very quick and I could not cope with him so I told myself to let the first set and go and fight for the next set.
“While I was playing him in the first set I tried to watch his game and know where to strike him in the second set.
“To my surprise the second set was a different ball game, he switched his style of play and it was over for me.
“I just managed to hold up a few points before he got the whole game to his favour,” Otu said.
Unseeded Henry Atseye also lost his game to India’s unseeded Aryan Goveas in two sets, 6-3, 6-0 to qualify for the second round.
Meanwhile, in the women’s single, Nigeria’s South-Africanbased tennis prodigy Adetayo Adetunji lost to seeded number two Ayla Aksu of Turkey in two sets, 6-0, 6-4.
Players from 39 countries are currently jostling for the S50, 000 prize money at stake in the men and women’s events.
The finals of the first leg will hold on Oct. 14.
Enrique Lopez-Perez from Spain is the top seed in the men’s category, while Conny Perrin from Slovakia is the number one seed in the women’s event. (NAN)