By Daily Sports on June 21, 2018
Rwandan tennis players lost to their Nigeria counterparts 3-0 in their Group A opening matches on Tuesday at the ongoing Davis Cup Africa Zone Group III Tennis Championship underway in Kenya.
The multi-category tournament started on Saturday and will through June 24 at Nairobi Tennis Club.
It was a battle of the top seeds in the first singles rubber with Ernest Habiyambere taking on Nigeria's Emmanuel Sylvester in the first game. The latter won against Habiyambere 6-1, 7-5 (5).
The Rwandan youngster put up a fight on the way to level the score to 5-5 in the second set, but 19-year-old made 3 double faults giving away the advantage to the Nigerian to break the tie and secure a crucial win after one hour and seven minutes of battle.
On the other hand, it only took 48 minutes for Nigeria's Joseph Ubon Imeh to trounce Rwanda's second seed Olivier Havugimana in straight sets; 6-0, 6-1 respectively.
In the doubles category, Nigerian pair of Paul Christian and Ubon Imeh combined for an effortless sweep as they overpowered Rwanda's Gatete Hamissi and Etienne Niyigena by 6-1, 6-2 to take the lead in Group A.
The result is a significant damage for Rwanda in the week-long showpiece, for a country that is ranked 120th globally in the Davis Cup rankings.
In Pool B, hosts Kenya and Namibia both made pristine starts in their bid for Davis Cup promotion by chalking up 3-0 victory each in their opening tussles on Monday.
Kenyan top seed Ismail Changawa beat Ugandan counterpart Boris Aguma 6-2, 6-1 while Sheil Kotecha overcame Uganda's David Oringa 6-4, 7-6 (4) in another match.
Kenyan siblings; Kevin Cheruiyot and Ibrahim Kibet edged out the Ugandan pair of Simon Ayella and Frank Tayebwa 6-2, 6-3 to get off to a perfect start.
Elsewhere, Namibia collected an easy 3-0 win over Algeria in Pool A.
Nigeria is pooled in Group A alongside Benin, Rwanda, and Cameroon. (Agency reports)
•Photo shows Nigeria's Emmanuel Sylvester in action
Source Daily Sports
Posted June 21, 2018
You may also like...
Osaka knocks out Sharapova in Indian Wells
Maresca not happy with Real Betis fixture change...
Anthony Joshua Wants Tyson Fury Bout Next
Olayinka joins Bala, Madu on loan to Zult...
Qatar 2022 W/C Quarter-Final: Morocco In Grudge Set...
Dalung and Amaju Pinnick’s corruption suit
Kwara confident of hosting Confed Cup in Ilorin
Aina undergoes successful surgery
Young boxers shine at Yucateco Showdown Series
81 golfers for Nigeria Maritime Golf Challenge
B’ball: Dolphins upset MFM in Zenith league opener
Onuachu leads outrage against Turkish league refereeing
Beating Amusan to hurdles title shocks Kambundji
Norway coach wary of Flying Eagles’ physique
NSC clears athletes’ allowances, bonuses at World Athletics Championships
I put the whole country on my back – Amusan
Amusan bags $55k with World Champs silver medal
Sports kits not inferior, NSC boss replies to Amusan’s criticism
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (59,682 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (50,873 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (48,855 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (48,446 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (48,446 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (48,421 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (48,241 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (47,796 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (46,914 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (45,492 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (43,946 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (43,367 views)