Deniz Khazaniuk of Israel on Saturday claimed the first leg of the women’s singles title of the 2017 Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship.
At the final decided at the centre court of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, the Israeli defeated two-time champion, Conny Perrin 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Conny took the savvy first set in which she and her opponent both held on to their first three serves apiece, while Khazaniuk came back stronger in the second set to take a 3-0 lead and finish the set 6-1.
Swiss star, Perrin did not fare better in the final set as Khazaniuk raced to a 4-0 lead before she (Perrin) rallied to win two straight games.
Khazaniuk woke up from slumber to extend the lead to 5-2 while Perrin too put up resistance to reduce the tally, before the Israeli ended the show by taking the final score to 6-3.
The second leg of the competition serves off on Monday, October 16 and will be rounded off on Saturday, October 21 at the same venue.
No Nigerian player made it to the quarter-final in the men's singles as Christian Paul emerged the only home-player who played in the second round................
Caption: Khazaniuk in action.
Kwara State Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem has appealed to well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations to complement the efforts of government in the development of sports in Nigeria at large.
He made the appeal while speaking during a reception in honour of the athletes who represented Kwara state in squash at the just-ended 2017 National Youth Games in Ilorin.
Team Kwara won three gold and three silver medals in the boys and girls singles as well as the girls team events, to emerge the overall winner of the squash event at the 2017 NYG.
The reception for the athletes and others who represented the state at the NYG was organised by the Kwara State Squash Association, to appreciate the youngsters for making the state proud.
Kazeem, who is also the Chairman of Directors’ of Sports Forum in Nigeria, said that government alone cannot shoulder all the responsibilities in sports development, and that the atmosphere in the state is good enough encouragement for the private sector to exploit to assist.
The former national badminton star lauded the athletes for their efforts at the Games, even as he commended the association and the Veterans for adding values and encouraging standards in the sport.
Kazeem stated that squash is one of the three events that raked in the most medals that the state won at the 2017 NYG, just as he also praised the coaches for a job well done.
In his remarks, chairman, Kwara State Squash Association, Professor Yinka Buhari said that the recognition was to motivate the athletes ahead of future tournaments, and to encourage other budding athletes too in the state.
He said that the association will continue to do its best within the resources available to it, while also expressing displeasure with way the state lost former Kwara champion, Abdulrahman Lanre to Lagos state.
It will be recalled that Rofiat Abdulazeez defeated teammate, Odunade Adeyi 3-1 in the girls singles final, while Durosinlorun Uthman conquered Abdulrahman Nasiru in the boys singles final of the squash event.
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Caption: Kwara Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem.
Dr Ladipo Adepoju last Sunday emerged winner of the 2017 Obafemi Awolowo Tennis Club (OATC) intra-club tournament sponsored by a member of the club, Mr Tunji Lam-Adesina.
Adepoju, defeated Mr Obinna Odigwe in a nervy final decided on Court 1 of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to claim the star prize of the tournament.
The semi-finalists, messrs Emeka Alfred and Tunde Adejuwon also went home with consolation prize money for their efforts.
Alfred had lost to the eventual winner while Adejuwon was stopped by Obinna also in the semi-final.
OATC Captain, Mr Kunle Yusuf, in his remarks thanked members for their participation in the tournament, as he noted that organising periodic competitions would aid members to improve.
"The mood of playing in a competition is always different from that of training games and it helps a lot as it can be used as basis for self-evaluation though, we have to de-emphasise winning in order to enhance a healthy competition," Yusuf stated.
He commended the sponsor for sustaining the tournament which started last year adding that:"the level of support from members of the club has been remarkable and I thank Mr Adesina on behalf of the club for sponsoring this competition for the second year running".
