The GSL Open, which is the final tournament of the ITF World Tennis Tour in Abuja, takes centre stage at the National Tennis Centre this week.

Hostilities in the main draw of this event begins on Tuesday, with Musa Mohammed leading Nigeria’s charge in the singles draw. Sylvester Emmanuel and Joseph Imeh, who are the only other two home players in the singles draw, will open their accounts on Day 3 (Wednesday).

Three singles match-ups and a host of doubles matches are on Tuesday’s menu. Nigeria’s Mohammed takes on American wildcard, Luke Jacob Gamble, 14-year-old Brit, Mukhtar Andu faces America’s Michael Zhu, while Burundi’s Guy Orly Iradukunda squares off against Michail Pervolarakis of Greece.

17-year-old Mohammed and Jacob Gamble kickstart proceedings on Court 5. Both men are seeking a first win on the ITF World Tour this year and will be hoping to get off to a good start and have a memorable final week. Musa Mohammed came close to making the second round at the Tombim Open two weeks ago, but was troubled by cramps in the third set before narrowly losing in a tiebreaker to Maxime Mora of France. Will he turn on a stronger performance today?

Mohammed reacts during a match in Abuja.

Mukhtar Andu takes on Michael Zhu in the first match on Centre Court. Having gone out in the first round of the two previous events—Tombim Open and Dayak Tennis Championships—both against Benjamin Lock, Andu certainly will be aiming to go a notch higher.

14-year-old Mukhtar Andu in action.

Zhu, meanwhile, comes into the GSL Open fresh off back-to-back first round exits at the M25 event in Santa Margherita Di Pula in Italy. The 26-year-old American holds a 2-9 win-loss record this year. Can he better that this week?

On Court 1, Burundi’s No.1, Guy Orly Iradukunda goes head-to-head with Michail Pervolarakis of Greece. Pervolarakis retired midway through his first round match due to injury at the Dayak Tennis Championships last week, and will be hoping to bounce back well this week. The Greek reached the second round at the Tombim Open two week ago. Will he do well in this final week?

Iradukunda is coming off a run to the quarterfinals at the Dayak Tennis Championships. After losing in the second round to Arjun Kadhe at the Tombim Open two weeks ago, the Burundian went one better last week. Can he build now build on that and enjoy a good run?

Guy Orly Iradukunda in action.

Away from the singles match-ups and into the doubles event, the brilliant French pair of Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul will begin their bid for a third straight title in Abuja when they take on the Indian-Ukrainian duo of Kunal Anand and Oleg Khotkov. Doumbia and Reboul won the Tombim Open and Dayak Championship doubles title, and are clear favourites to clinch that of the GSL Open. Can Anand and Khotkov cause a major upset?

Elsewhere, the Nigerian pair of Oche Emmanuel and Sani Musa will meet the Nigerian-British tandem of Musa Mohammed and Mukhtar Andu in an exciting clash of youngsters for a place in the quarterfinals.

Tuesday’s Order of Play

Centre Court

Starting at 10:00
Mukhtar Andu (GBR) vs. Michael Zhu (USA)

Not Before 11:30
Danylo Kalenichenko (UKR) / Niels Lootsma (NED) [4] vs. Gilbert Soares Klier Junior (BRA) / Joao Pedro Sorgi (BRA)

After Rest, Not Before 13:00, Court TBA
Arvid Nordquist (SWE) / Markus Schultz (SWE) vs. Dan Added (FRA) / Michail Pervolarakis (GRE) [3]

After Rest, Not Before 14:00, Court TBA
Mukhtar Andu (GBR) / musa Mohammed (NGR) vs. Emmanuel Oche (NGR) / Musa Sani (NGR)

Court 1

Starting at 10:00
Guy Orly Iradukunda (BDI) vs. Michail Pervolarakis (GRE)

Not Before 11:30
Arjun Kadhe (IND) / N. Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) [1] vs. Boris Butulija (SRB) / Maxime Mora (FRA)

After Rest, Not Before 13:00, Court TBA
William Bushamuka (USA) / Luke Jacob Gamble (USA)
vs. Darryl Hale (GBR) / Suraj R Prabodh (IND)

After Rest, Not Before 14:00, Court TBA
Guy Orly Iradukunda (BDI) / Tukhula Jacobs (NAM)
vs. Dominik Palan (CZE) / Simon Yitbarek (SWE)

Court 5