BY ADEYEMI ROBINSON-ADEFIOYE, LAGOS
SADA NAHIMANA of Burundi and Frenchman CALVIN HEMERY have won their first LAGOS OPEN TITLES following their victories in the women’s and men’s singles on Monday at the LORD’S RUMENS CENTRE COURT of LAGOS TENNIS CLUB, ONIKAN.
NAHIMANA came back from a loss in first set 2-6 to defeat her Brazilian counterpart in a high soaked tension match 2-6 6-4 6-3 to become the first teenager and first Black African to win the LAGOS OPEN.
NAHIMANA is looking forward to the second leg which is qualifying to the main draws has commenced told www.sunrisetimes.com.ng that the fixtures 2 would be tougher because all eyes are already on her.
“Today was really an unexpected day because I did not think that I could really win the Women’s singles, all that was in my mind after loosing the first set to my opponent was that I have to keep fighting.
“I remember I went to the bathroom and I took time to think about the match, what i am doing and what I need to change in my pattern of play because the weather was really hot.
“For me I think it was the toughest match so far, mentally, emotionally and physically, because it is a final we both gave it all through. I remembered in the final set we were both drinking Coke because the energy was going and we both needed back our strength.
” I think it was really tough, emotionally when I won, I couldn’t believe that I can win because a call was just through my mind and physically it was really hot out there, my legs were really hot on the court of play, I can feel it from my shoes, the soles of canvases, I was sweating from my soaks but I have no choice to maintain it but it was really tough” NAHIMANA said.
Meanwhile CALVIN HEMERY ruthless performance in men’s singles final swept ALDIN SETKIC, a former champion, 6-1, 6-2 in just 69 minutes.
HEMERY, who is of Nigerian descent, was rarely troubled on his serve, as he powered down 13 aces en route his emphatic victory.
SETKIC, the 6th-seed, was bidding for his second LAGOS OPEN TITLE since his first victory in 2015, but he succumbed to the superior firepower of HEMERY.
It is HEMERY’S maiden Lagos Open title and second ITF crown in Nigeria after his GSL OPEN triumph in Abuja two years ago.
