Pere Riba of Spain will play against Nigerian Syvester Emmanuel in the Governor’s Cup second round on Wednesday

Taiwo Adelu

Nigerian players are in for real battles going in to the next round of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship as the first leg (Futures 3) of the tournament enters second round stage Wednesday.

According to the order of play for the second round matches, Sylvester Emmanuel who upset an American player, Anderson Reed, on Monday, will battle number two seed, Pere Riba of Spain, in one of the second round matches at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan on Wednesday.

Bikom Albert Bisong will face tough test against number one seed, Aldin Setkic of Bosnia in another match. Thomas Otu will slug it out with Van Der Duim of The Netherlands who is number six seed of this year’s Governor’s Cup.

Christian Paul will have Ugandan Duncan Mugabe the number seven seed to contend with all in the men’s singles.

In the Women’s Singles, Osariemen Airhunmwunde of Nigeria will face Andrianjafitrimo Tessah of France, the number eight seed. Ronke Akingbade will battle number sixth seed, Uirkke Eikeri from Norway.

Other matches of the second round will see South African Llyod Harris taking on David Pel of The Netherlands in the men’s singles, while Murta Lazareva of Russia will battle Thombere Prarthana Thombre of India in the women’s singles.

In other women’s matches, Conny Perrin of Switzerland will slug it out against Mara Schmidt of USA. Tadeja Majeric of Slovaika will play against Ester Masuri of Israel. Alexandra Riley of America will go to war against Strakhova of Ukraine. Top seed Sherazad Reix of France will play against Valeria Bhunu of Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Clifford Enosoregbe of Nigeria could not make it to the second round Tuesday when he was defeated by Pere Riba of Spain in straight set of 6-1,6-0. Another Nigerian, Edward Christopher Anefu, was beaten by Antal Van Der Duim of The Netherlands in straight of 6-3,6-2. Mohammed Mohammed was defeated by David Pel of The Netherlands in 6-1, 6-2 game.

Nigeria’s Joseph Imeh retired in the first set of his match against France’s Fabien Reboul, while Nigerian born female player, Mellisa Ishuan Ifidzen who represented Russia in the Governor’s Cup was defeated by Thombere Prarthana Thombre of India in 6-2, 6-1 game in the women’s singles