NAN-S-3
Tennis
By Franklin Ohaegbu
Lagos, Oct. 13, 2017 (NAN) The battle line has been drawn for Pedja Kristin and Stephan Fransen for the final of the first leg of the ongoing 17th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Serbian, seeded three, caused an upset after he defeated Turkey’s Cem Ilkel, seeded number two in two sets, 6-4, 6-4.
Kristin told NAN that he was ready to win the competition and has heard so much about Lagos tennis fans and their love for the sport.
“I am ready to win the competition and I hope I win.
“I will give it my all though the last game I just played was very tasking because I played the number two seeded player in the competition and he was a good player.
“Somehow, I managed to out play him and before he could realise that he was losing.
“I heard about the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis and also heard that it is not an easy task winning the competition.
“I have seen for myself that all I heard is true, there are good players here and so far it has been great,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, unseeded Stephan Fransen, who earlier ousted Egypt’s number one seeded Karim Maamoun in the first round, also defeated unseeded Aryan Goveas of India, 6-4, 6-4.
In the women’s semi-final match, Conny Perrin, seeded one sealed it up, as she ousted number eight seeded Mexican player, Ana-Sofia Sanchez in two sets, 6-4, 6-1 to qualify for the final.
Deniz Khazaniuk also caused an upset as she defeated number two seeded Ayla Aksu of Turkey in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
NAN reports that players, who came from 39 countries, will be fighting for ranking points and the juicy 50, 000 dollars prize money in the men and women’s events.
The finals of the first leg will hold on Saturday, Oct. 14. (NAN)
FOE/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)