Thrills from Gambia lawn tennis finals

Marciano Kah beat Basuruwa Conteh 6:3, 6:4 on Saturday to win the Gambia Lawn Tennis Association-sponsored Championship at the Independence Stadium.

The two players had partnered on Friday to beat Sidi Bojang and Bala Suso in the men’s double final before squaring up against each other in the men’s single final a day after. Kah earlier beat Lamin Drammeh in the semis to give himself a shot at his first title for 2009, and he kept his focus in the weekend final to get the job done in one hour, 10 minutes.

The first set, which lasted for half an hour, was a keenly contested one, but early in the second set, not quite halfway into what would wind up as the most exciting tennis final, Conteh watched intently as Marciano Kah pushed a forehand wide to end a lengthy exchange amidst hundreds of spectators including the deputy inspector general of the Gambia Police Force, Momodou Gaye.

"I played a really good match today," Kah told Observer Sports shortly after the final. "Probably Basuruwa didn't play his best today, but he is a talented player too. I think I played a really complete match, moving very well. I never stop the legs during all the match, and I think that was the key in the final."

The loser, Busuruwa Conteh was not bothered by the defeat though.  “Reaching the final was a good result,” he said. "I don't feel like I’m that disappointed just now with how the week went, because I was not expecting to do that well," he added. "Today was not my best day, but I'll definitely get over it next time,” Conteh concluded. Lala Sallah won the women's title, denying  Fatou Saho with a 6:1, 6-2 victory earlier on Friday.