After Delay Due To Edo 2020 NSF, National Wheelchair Tennis Tournament Holds In Lagos

IKPO IGBINOBA

After an energy sapping outing at the 20th National Sports Festival just concluded in Benin City, the Edo state capital, wheelchair tennis players will storm Lagos on Sunday for the National Wheelchair Tennis Tournament.

The tournament which was initially scheduled for March 28 to March 31 was postponed because of the National Sports Festival which took place between April 2 and 4, in Benin City.

The event will now hold between April 18 and 22 at the courts of the National Stadium in Surulere.

Chairman of the Wheelchair Tennis Department of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, Lateef Shodipo told P.M. EXPRESS that players were being expected from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.

Over N700,000 is on offer as prize money with the winners in both the male and female categories pocketing N50,000 each.

Mr. Shodipo said the tournament would provide a platform for budding talents to express themselves.

According to him, “We have some upcoming talents and it is only during tournaments like this that we will discover them. We need more talents to face the international challenge because wheelchair tennis is getting more competitive across the globe”

Mr. Shodipo who is also the vice president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation reiterated his appeal to governments at different levels, corporate bodies and philanthropists to support wheelchair tennis in the country.

“We need the support of all to grow wheelchair tennis. We need regular competitions, equipment, and funds to spread the sport across the country”.