Team Nigeria, on Thursday, will take on Cote d’Ivoire in their third match at the ongoing Davis Cup Africa Group III Qualifier event after losing to a Namibian side that displayed full firepower against the host team.
Sporting Tribune recalls that Nigeria was impressive against top ranked-team, Zimbabwe in their first game but Wilson Igbinovia could not stand the firepower of Codie Schalk Van Shalykwyk losing 1-6, 1-6 to the Namibian player.
In the second rubber, Nigeria’s number one player in the Davis Cup event, Christopher Bulus, started with a brilliant 6-3 win against Connor Henry Van Schalkwyk however in the second set, the US-based Nigerian star player succumbed to a 6-7 tiebreak loss against the former world number 36 junior player to set up a final set encounter.
In the final set, Bulus suffered a thigh injury which stopped him from moving his legs and despite the treatments, it was too little, too late as Namibia held on for an infamous 6-1 win in the final set to take a two-game lead in the tie.
Daniel Adeleye and Michael Emmanuel tried to redeem the image of the home team but despite their late fight back, the Namibian pair of Jean Erasmus and Codie Shalk Van Shalkwyk ensured a 3-0 win over Nigeria with a 7-6(4), 6-3 defeat of the home team.
With the results’ outcome, Nigeria now sits fourth in the group of six countries and has to win its match against the Ivorians who are yet to win a single match at the competition.
A win for Nigeria will give the boys a lifeline in their quest to gain promotion to World Group II. The six countries competing for promotion from Africa Group III are the host, Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Three nations will gain promotion while two will be relegated to Group IV. Only one of the six teams will remain in Group III at the end of the event.
