Last Nigerian player crashes out of Governor’s Cup Tennis

Turkey’s Cem Ilkel, yesterday defied the heavy rain in the morning to defeat Joseph Ubon, the only Nigerian player left in the ongoing 2017 Governor’s Cup Tennis Men singles event.

Ilkel, who is seeded fourth at the tournament, defeated Ubon to move to the quarter-finals stage.

He defeated the home boy 6-0, 6-3 at the centre court of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

IIkel said that he had watched his opponent’s game prior to the match.

“I had watched his style of play in the first leg and I was able to identify his strengths and weaknesses.

“I also watched his game when he defeated Stephan Fransen of the Netherlands.

“I noticed that he was consistence in his pattern of play, he rarely changed from those loopholes I saw in the first leg.

“So I capitalised on them, this gave me the more needed victory,” he said.

Ubon, reacting to the outcome of the game, said he did not put in much aggression in his game.

“I thought I could play defensive pattern but my opponent forced me to an offensive game.

“I wish I did play that way. I am still not happy I lost the game because I had high hopes of going far in the competition,” he said.

In other men single’s game, unseeded Frenchman, Tom Jomby, defeated Serbian Ilona Vucic, 7-6, 6-4, while number seven seeded player, Johan Tatlot of France who showed off fellow compatriot, unseeded Thomas Setodji in two sets, 6-4, 6-1.

The finals of the second leg will hold on Oct. 21. (NAN)