Sylvester Emmanuel produced a rock-solid performance to power past Emmanuel Paul in straight sets and reach the quarter-finals of the Rainoil Open in Lagos today.
The 21-year-old top seed, looking to claim his second national title this year after his CBN Open triumph in June, registered a 6-3, 6-2 win over Paul.
Up next for Emmanuel is Peter Lawal, who beat Oche Adehi 6-2, 6-2.
In the bottom half of the men’s draw, defending champion, Joseph Imeh also advanced to the quarter-finals, following a 7-6(3), 5-1 (rtd) victory over Christian Paul – his partner in the doubles event this week.
Joseph Imeh
After a tight first set affair, Paul’s level tailed off in the second set before he retired due to injury.
Christian Paul
Imeh will next take on Godsgift Timibra, who advanced at the expense of Clifford Enosoregbe. Enosoregbe had carved out an early break against Timibra in the third game of the first set for 1-2.
However, while serving in the fourth game, the former national champion double faulted for 40-40 and reacted quite angrily, hitting the ball to the other side of the court where it met Timibra.
Clifford Enosoregbe
Timibra, who requested for medical attention, couldn’t continue the match and Enosoregbe was immediately defaulted.
Godsgift Timibra
Elsewhere, Chima Michael rallied sensationally from a set down to knock out 3rd seed, Uche Oparaoji, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4, and will next face Ajang Sylvanus, who also came from a set down to defeat Musa Mohammed 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
4th seed, Thomas Otu outclassed Joseph Iyorovbe 6-0, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final clash with Emmanuel Idoko, who beat Albert Bikom 6-0, 6-2.
Michael Chima in action.
In the doubles, Joseph Imeh and Christian Paul teamed up excellently to thrash the duo of Musa Mohammed and Ajang Sylvanus 6-1, 6-2 and move into the semifinals, where they will face the pair of Oche Adehi and Emmanuel Idoko who defeated Stephen Augustine and Gabriel Friday 7-6(6), 6-4.
Uche Oparaoji and Godsgift Timibra came from a set down to beat Ikechukwu Iloputa and Joseph Iyorovbe 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 to reach the semifinals, where they will take on Emmanuel Ikakah and Charles Uwandu.
Ikakah and Uwandu had beaten Mathew Abamu and Chima Michael 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 in an earlier second round match and were scheduled to play Sylvester Emmanuel and Clifford Enosoregbe, but Enosoregbe has been defaulted from the tournament.
