Tennis
Abuja, May 2, 2018 (NAN) Youssef Hossam, the top seeded player at the ongoing Gladiators Systems Ltd (GSL) Tennis Open, on Wednesday booked a place in the quarter-finals by beating Frenchman Remi Boutilliier 6-3, 7-6 (2).
The GSL Open, the third leg of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Pro-Circuit tournament, is holding at the Abuja National Stadium.
Egypt’s Youssef, playing on Court 5, outclassed Remi in a match which lasted just over an hour and demonstrated why he was the favourite to win the tournament.
In another match decided on Wednesday, unseeded Joao Menezes also booked a place in the quarter-finals by outfoxing seventh seed Ronnie Schneider 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Joao, who won the 2018 Tombim Open, wasted no time to stamp his dominance in the first set, before slipping up to let Ronnie take the second.
The Brazilian, however, recovered to take the third set on the Centre Court with some exciting tennis, thereby progressing to the last eight of the tournament.
On Court 1, fourth seed Arjun Kadhe dispatched Mirko Martinez 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
Later on Wednesday, the only Nigerian left in the men’s singles of the tournament, Thomas Otu, will fancy his chance for a quarter-final ticket, when he takes on Maximilian Neuchrist.
The Austrian, still beaming with confidence from winning the 2018 Dayak Open, is seeded number two in the tournament and would prove a hard nut to crack for the Nigerian.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament offers players the opportunity to gain ATP points which will boost their rankings.
Calvin Hemery won the 2017 maiden edition of the GSL Tennis Open by beating Diaz Figueroa 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
The Nigerian-born Frenchman, who was the tournament’s number one seed, had to dig deep to overcome Figueroa’s superb smashes.
This year’s final is scheduled to hold on May 5 at the Tennis Court of the Abuja National Stadium. (NAN)
KIA/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)