Burundi’s Sada Nahimana has become the first African since Chanelle Scheepers in 2007 to win the women’s singles title at the Lagos Open with victory over Brazil’s Laura Pigossi. Frenchman Calvin Hemery beat former champion Aldin Setkic to claim the men’s singles title in Onikan on Monday.
Unseeded Burundian Nahimana, who’s Africa’s top-ranked junior player put up a performance full of heart to come back from a loss in the opening set to win next two against sixth-seed Laura Pigossi of Brazil for her maiden ITF World Tour Title.
The 18-year-old capped an impressive week with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 triumph in the final of the first leg of the tournament to claim the trophy and the $3,000 prizemoney.
She would hope to make it a double when she begins her campaign in the second leg, which is already underway at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
Meanwhile, Laura Pigossi had something to celebrate in the women’s doubles final with partner India’s Rutuja Bhosale.
The duo rallied impressively from a set down to beat the Egyptian-Indian pair of Sandra Samir and Prarthana Thombare 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 and claim the women’s doubles title.
In the men’s singles final, Frenchman, Calvin Hemery produced an impressive display to brush aside 2015 champion Aldin Setkic in straight sets and claim the Lagos Open men’s singles title.
Hemery, who has Nigerian heritage served 13 aces on his way to an easy 6-1, 6-2 victory over the sixth-seeded Bosnian.
Hemery has now won two ITF World Tour titles in Nigeria after triumphing at the GSL Open triumph in Abuja two years ago. He’ll hope to extend his winning streak into the second leg of the tournament, already underway at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
The men’s double title was claimed by the Tunisian pair of Skander Mansouri and Aziz Dougaz who triumphed 7-6(4), 6-3 over the Zimbabwean duo of Benjamin Lock and John Lock.
