Governor’s Cup Tennis: Dutch, Swiss players win

The 2015 edition of Governor’s Cup Tennis Championship ended Saturday with players from The Netherlands and Switzerland taking the glory of the International Tennis Fedration (ITF) approved competition in Lagos.

After gruelling encounter that lasted more than two hours, Tadeja Majeric, who was a winner in the 2013 edition and runner up in the first leg (Futures 1) women’s singles failed to leave up to expectation as she lost the women trophy to another regular face in the Governor’s Cup, Conny Perrin of Switzerland in 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 match.

The final of the men’s singles, watched by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Chief Pius Akinyelure, President of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Engr. Sani Ndanusa and other dignitaries, produced an interesting irony to the admiration of guests, school children and tennis pundits present.

It was a repeat of quarter final match of Futures 3 last week where Zimbabwe’s Takanyi Garanganga beat Antal Van Der Duim of The Netherlands in straight set. But in the final on Saturday, Van Der Duim took Garanganga by surprise. Even though he had the  spectators behind him, the US-based Zimbabwean could not match the firepower of his Dutch opponent as he fell in straight set of 6-3,6-7.

The men’s doubles was won by the Africa’s pair of Harris Llyod (South Africa) and Karim-Mohammed Maamoun (Egypt), while the women’s doubles was won by Indian Prarthana Thombare and Julia Terziyska from Bulgaria.

Governor’s Ambode presented the trophies to both winner and runner up of the men’s singles. LOC boss, Akinyelure presented the trophies to the winner and runner up in the women’s singles. President Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Edu presented winners of the men’ doubles their trophies, while women’s doubles winners received their trophies from the President of NTF, Ndanusa.

The Governor’s Cup Tennis, a tournament organised to celebrate sitting governor of Lagos State since the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, featured players from more than 40 countries in this year’s 15th edition.