The last two Nigerians left standing in the singles draw of the Lagos Open, Oyinlomo Quadre and Blessing Samuel, will play for quarter-final places in Onikan on Thursday.
Quadre takes on Serbia’s Tamara Curovic on Centre Court, while Samuel faces Brazil’s Laura Pigossi in the first match on Court 7. In the doubles event, the Nigerian pair of Joseph Imeh and Mohammed Mohammed will take on the Curacaoan-Ukrainian duo of John Every and Eric Vanshelboim with a place in the semifinals on the line.
Top seeds, Skander Mansouri and Seone Mendez are also in action.
Quadre produced a convincing win against Divine Nweke in the first round on Wednesday. The 16-year-old did not drop a single game and will look to keep up the rich form in her bid for a maiden quarter-finals on the ITF World Tour. Curovic, seeded 8th, has been in good form this season, with deep runs in Shymkent, Kazakhtan in April and September as highlights. The Croatian, ranked 563 in the world, is chasing her 3rd ITF Tour title and will present a strong challenge for the teenage star. Neither Quadre nor Curovic got past the second round in the first leg last week. Now, who will?
Quadre in action
Samuel registered a dominant victory over her countrywoman, Jumai Muhammed in the first round on Wednesday, but she now faces a tricky test against 7th seed, Laura Pigossi of Brazil, who reached the final in the first leg and will be looking to post another deep run. It will be a first-time encounter between both women.
Blessing Samuel
On Court 1, top seed, Skander Mansouri and France’s Gianni Mina will go head-to-head for the second time in as many weeks. Mansouri defeated the Frenchman in straight sets in the first round last week. This week, Mina rallied from a set down to beat Kibet Yego in three sets in the opening round. Can he build on that and exact revenge? Or will Mansouri prevail again and remain on course for his 5th ITF title this year?
Mansouri
Seone Mendez, who’s seeded No. 1 in the women’s field, began her quest for a 7th title this year with an impressive performance against last week’s semi-finalist Fanny Ostlund on Wednesday. She opens play on Court 3 against unseeded Dutchwoman, Lexie Stevens. Can she maintain the intensity?
Sada Nahimana will also be in action on the day against Nastja Kolar, a quarter-finalist last week. The 18-year-old Burundian claimed the first leg title and is on a 6-match winning streak, dropping just a set so far. Meanwhile, Kolar, who’s ranked 434 in the world, is aiming for her second title this year and 10th overall on the ITF Tour. This promises to be intense.
In a mid-day match on Centre Court, Calvin Hemery will continue his bid for back-to-back titles here against John Lock of Zimbabwe.
Full Order of Play
