By Daily Sports Nigeria on May 22, 2026

Nigeria has only one player left in the men’s singles of the 2026 WTT Contender Lagos, with youngster Sultan Agunbiade advancing after defeating compatriot Matthew Fabunmi in the first round at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall on Thursday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Agunbiade, who began his campaign in the qualifying rounds, continued his impressive run with a commanding performance against Fabunmi. The youngster had already thrilled Lagos fans on Wednesday when he overcame wildcard Afeez Yunus 3-1 to secure his place in the main draw, displaying precision and composure that made him a crowd favourite.

His victories are expected to earn him valuable ranking points, while other Nigerian hopefuls — Olajide Omotayo, Taiwo Matti, Muiz Adegoke, and Azeez Solanke — have exited the tournament after defeats to more experienced opponents from Europe and Asia.

Omotayo lost in three straight sets (11-9, 11-3, 11-8) to South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon, while Matti suffered the same fate (11-4, 11-4, 11-8) against French player Lilian Bardet.

Adegoke fought hard against Romania’s Andrei Istrate but was beaten 3-0 (14-12, 11-6, 12-10), while Solanke was edged 3-2 (7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 7-11) by Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou.

Meanwhile, defending champion Anders Lind of Denmark survived a tough opening match, rallying from two sets down to edge Frenchman Iulian Chirita 3-2. Lind, who is aiming to become the first player to retain the Lagos title, admitted the journey to the podium must be approached cautiously.

“The first match in any tournament is always the most difficult. I didn’t feel the game in the first two sets, but I fought back to win. Every match is hard, but step-by-step I will approach each game because the deeper you go, the tougher it gets,” said the 2025 champion.

Lind also praised the Lagos fans for their unwavering support.

“The fans here are very important because of their enormous support in every match. They don’t just cheer for local players; they support everyone, celebrating every good shot or point. That energy is very motivating for us,” he added.

With Agunbiade carrying Nigeria’s hopes and Lind determined to defend his crown, the Lagos tournament promises more thrilling encounters as the competition intensifies.

Source Punch Ng

Posted May 22, 2026

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