Former Nigeria Davis Cup player, Shehu Lawal, Wednesday showed that his days in the racket sport of tennis is numbered as he failed to advance to the second round of the ongoing Governor’s Cup Lagos International Tennis Futures 2 for the second straight week.
The former Nigeria national champion obviously clumsy and rusty in the court was no match for top seed India’s Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan.
Lawal lost in two straight sets of 6-0, 6-3.
Shehu said on Tuesday ahead of the game that he was scared of the Indian player and he would try his best to create an upset, a result that would aid his qualification for the next round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) sanctioned competition.
Shehu Lawal also lost in the Men’s doubles thus ended his participation in the Futures 2. Lawal who paired with Sunday Maku lost to Mithun Murali from India and Tunde Segodo of Benin 6-3, 6-2,10-8 in the second round match.
In another first round Men’s Singles game played at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Race Course, Nigeria’s Kehinde Alade failed to rise to the occasion against South Africa’s Ruan Roelofse who defeated him in two straight sets of 6-1, 6-0.
Alade told our reporter after the game that: “I was not happy losing this match to Ruan, but I must admit that he was a very good opponent and he proved that in the match.
“I tried to win a game in the first set, but in the second set, everything just went against me. The tournament has been so good especially for the local players. The performance this year shows that a lot still needs to be done for us to match these more experienced and well-travelled foreigners. I’m happy playing in the main draws of both the first and second leg of the 13th Governor’s Cup.”
In other men’s singles games, the tournament number 4 seed Ante Pavic of Croatia defeated Mithun Murali of India 6-1,6-4.Croatia’s Borna Coric dumped Theophile Segodo of Benin 6-2, 6-1, while Dino Marcan (Croatia) beat Alexis Klegou (Benin) 7-5,6-2.
Japanese star, Hiroki Kondo crushed Benenoise, Felix Hounkpevi 6-2,6-2, while Andre Gaspar Murta from Portugal ousted David Chaplefeh Forchap from Germany 6-1, 6-2.
In the Women’s Singles former winner, Russian Nina Bratchikova made a big statement after early exit in the first leg. She proved to be too strong for Jasmin Steinherr of Germany in straight sets of 6-3,6-1.
Britain’s Naomi Broady walloped Margarita Lazareva of Russia 6-1,6-0
