by Ian Marshall, Editor

Notably, they did not do things by half measure; they ended the hopes of the top two partnerships on view.

Wang Shu and Wei Wensheng accounted for the combination of Luxembourg’s Sarah de Nutte and Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut, the top seeds (12-10, 11-5, 11-8); Qi Fenjie and Sun Chen overcame the partnership formed by Hungary’s Szandra Pergel and Italy’s Debora Vivarelli, the no.2 seeds (12-10, 11-2, 9-11, 13-11).

Similarly, not be upstaged, Fan Siqi and Guo Yan ended the hopes of the host nation’s Cecilia Akpan and Offiong Edem (9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6).

Farewell to three seeded pairings and there was farewell for one more; in the all Nigerian clash Ajoke Ojomu and Esther Oribamise beat Janet Effiom and Olufunke Oshonaike, the no.6 seeds (9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9).

Meanwhile, in the remaining contests it was success for the favourites at the expense of Nigerian opposition.

The formation of Norway’s Ilka Doval and Egypt’s Yousra Helmy, the no.3 seeds, received a walk-over when due to face Eva Adom-Amankwaa and Hilda Agbottah; Slovenia’s Alex Galic and Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin, the no.4 seeds, combined to beat Fatimo Bello and Rashidat Ogundele (11-6, 11-2, 12-10).

Similarly, Russia’s Irina Ermakova and Olga Kulikova, the no.5 seeds, beat Funmiola Ajala and Halima Hussain (11-9, 11-8, 11-7); India’s Sreeja Akula and Mallika Bhandarkar, the no.8 seeds, ended the hopes of Alimot Ayinla and Agnes Onoja (11-3, 11-3, 11-6).

The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played later in the day.

2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open: Newsletter (Tuesday 7th August)

2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open: Newsletter (Wednesday 8th August)

2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open: Newsletter (Thursday 9th August)

2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open: Newsletter (Friday 10th August)

2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open: Newsletter (Saturday 11th August)