Davis Cup: Nigeria Set for Another Showdown Against Morocco

Tennis rivals renew hostilities in World Group II tie this September

By Tunde Eludini

Nigeria will face Morocco in the Davis Cup World Group II this September following a commanding victory over Uzbekistan in Lagos, as the country’s tennis team continues its steady rise on the international stage.

The draw, concluded by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Thursday, paired Nigeria with the North African side and confirmed Morocco as host of the tie. The two-day event is scheduled for 18–20 September, meaning Team Nigeria will travel to Morocco for the crucial encounter.

The fixture adds fresh intrigue to a growing sporting rivalry between both nations. Only recently, Morocco edged Nigeria on penalties in a high-stakes Africa Cup of Nations semi-final match—a result that still resonates with Nigerian sports fans. Attention now shifts from football to tennis, where Nigeria will hope for a different outcome.

Nigeria secured their place in World Group II with an impressive sweep of Uzbekistan in Lagos. Backed by home supporters, the team delivered confident performances across both singles and doubles rubbers.

The doubles pairing of Canice Abua and Michael Emmanuel defeated Denis Istomin and Khumoyun Sultanov 7–6, 6–4, edging a tense first-set tie-break before taking control in the second.

In singles, 19-year-old Daniel Adeleye beat Sultanov 6–3, 6–4 in a composed display that highlighted his growing maturity on the court. Adeleye, who switched allegiance from Zimbabwe to Nigeria, continues to emerge as one of the country’s brightest tennis prospects.

Progress Beneath the Surface

The victory strengthened Nigeria’s Davis Cup campaign and underscored recent efforts to rebuild the sport domestically. Tennis administrators have pointed to renewed grassroots programmes and increased international exposure for players as key drivers of this upward trajectory.

Nigeria Tennis Federation President Victor Ochei described the win as a significant step for the sport, noting that the team had defied expectations against opponents considered stronger on paper.

“This team has shown character and belief. We are building something sustainable here.”
— Victor Ochei, Nigeria Tennis Federation President

The Road Ahead

Morocco, however, presents a far tougher test. With a stronger tennis pedigree and the advantage of home soil, they will enter the September tie as slight favourites.

For Nigeria, the challenge is clear: translate momentum from Lagos into another statement performance on foreign soil and keep alive hopes of climbing further up the Davis Cup ladder.

Elena Rybakina “Proud of Fight” Despite Victoria Mboko Loss in Doha

Australian Open champion takes positives from first tournament since Melbourne triumph

DOHA, Qatar — Elena Rybakina is refusing to dwell on defeat after a heartbreaking quarterfinal exit at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Thursday.

Playing her first tournament since capturing her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, the world No. 3 was within reach of the semifinals in Doha before Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko mounted a stunning comeback to win 7-4, 4-6, 6-4.

The loss denied Rybakina an immediate rise to No. 2 in the WTA rankings—a spot that opened up following top seed Iga Swiatek’s quarterfinal exit earlier in the evening. It also leveled the head-to-head between Rybakina and the 19-year-old Mboko at two wins apiece, confirming the rising star as a genuine threat at the top level.

Still, the 26-year-old found plenty of reasons for optimism. Her week in Doha included a grueling three-set battle against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the previous round—exactly the kind of physical test she had been seeking.

Q. Did you feel you had recovered from yesterday’s match? Because you had a tough one against Qinwen [Zheng].

ELENA RYBAKINA: “It was a tough match and I’m actually happy that I managed to give this fight. I hadn’t played such long matches in a long time. In Australia, we always had a day in between and I was playing all the matches in two sets except for the final. I think it was still a good tournament for me. I had to do some stuff outside of the court. I think it’s a good preparation, even for the other tournaments.”

When asked about her ambitions for the remainder of the season, Rybakina made her intentions unmistakably clear.

Q. If you could win another Grand Slam this year, would you rather win Wimbledon again or one of the other two?

ELENA RYBAKINA: “All of them! (laughs) There is nothing to choose. It doesn’t matter which Grand Slam. But that’s the goal.”

Mboko, now into her second career WTA 1000 semifinal, will next face two-time Doha finalist Jelena Ostapenko. For Rybakina, the focus shifts to recovery and the long season ahead—with Melbourne already in the rearview mirror and three more majors still to play.