Unseeded Oyinlomo Quadre on Thursday beat tournament number eight seed, Serbian Curovic Tamara, in their second round clash at the Lagos Open tennis tournament.
Tamara who lost the first set 2-6 to Quadre had to retire from the match in the second set at 0-1 down because she took ill and could not continue.
With the victory, Quadre has now advanced to the tournament’s quarter-finals.
Winner of the women’s singles final in the tournament’s first leg, Burundian Sada Nahimana, could not repeat the feat.
Nahimana who was unseeded in the competition fell shockingly to the number four seed, Slovenia’s Kolar Nastia 1-6 2-6 5-7.
Speaking later to newsmen, Qaudre said her victory was significant, as it was amazing for her to win and qualify for her first-ever quarter-finals appearance at the Lagos Open Tennis.
“It’s like a dream come true for me, because before this competition I had it at the back of my mind that I want to get to the quarter-finals stage of this year’s tournament.
“I was one set away from achieving this last week during the first leg, but I lost my second round match in the third set. Though it was disappointing, I had to brace up for the challenges ahead.
“I am so happy that I have now achieved my set target for the Lagos Open this year and going forward, I am aiming higher for better performance that will get me to play in the final.
“I’m so glad with the motivation I received from my parents and my coach,’’ Quadre said.
“My dad encouraged me that if Sada Nahimana, who is incidentally my roommate at the ITF Centre in Morocco, could get to this height, I too could also achieve that”.
Meanwhile, in another women’s singles match played on Thursday, Samir Sandra of Egypt beating Nika Kukharchuk of Russia 6-4 6-2.
Strakhova Valeriya of Ukraine also defeated Jasmin Jebawy of Germany 6-0 6-1.
Bhatia Riya of India defeated Kruger Isabella of South Africa 7-5 6-4, while Mendez Seone of Austria beat Stevens Lexis of Netherlands 6-2 6-4.
Rutuja Bhosal of India beat compatriot Sowjanya Bavisetti 6-1 6-1, while Laura Pigossi of Brazil defeated Blessing Samuel of Nigeria 6-0 6-1.
In the men’s singles, Aziz Quakaa of Tunisia beat William Bushamuka 6-2 6-4, while Clavin Hemery of France defeated Zimbabwe’s Courtney John Lock 6-0 6-1. (NAN)