By John Egbokhan

A staggering number of 240 players have entered to participate In the 2019 Lagos Open Tennis Futures, serving off next month at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

Shehu Lawal in action during the 34th Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Open Tennis Championship in Lagos on Thursday (10/5/12). NAN photo

The number of entries is spread across 57 countries for the tournament which the first week of main draw action holds from October 7, with the final of the second Futures set to take centre-stage on October 20 at the Lord Rumens Centre Court of the LLTC

Majority of the players who have registered to play in the competition will have to battle their way through the qualifying draw that holds at least three days before the service off of the main draw.

The main draw normally consists of 32 players in the men’s singles draw, likewise for the women’s singles draw, meaning there will be a big dogfight by players scrambling for a place in the top-flight through the tedious route of the qualifying draw.

Also read: FIFA Ranking: Nigeria now 33rd in world, as continental champions make big move

According to the International Tennis Federation, the  240 players consist of 133 who will compete in the men’s singles and doubles events, while 107 players will play in the women’s singles and doubles during the ITF World Tour in Lagos.

Japan’s Shuichi Sekiguchi is the highest-ranked player in the men’s category. He is ranked 286 on the ATP world ranking, followed by Tunisian Skander Mansouri who is on number 341 and French Tom Jomby (404

The highest-ranked Nigerian men’s player is Joseph Imeh Ubon, who is ranked 1537 and followed by Sylvester Emmanuel (1897).

Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone is leading the women’s players to the 19th Lagos Open Tennis. She is 161 on WTA world ranking

Vanguard