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| SUNDAY AKINTOYE Not many would have thought or seen the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, as a tennis player until he displayed his God given talent recently at the grand finale of Lagos Open International Tennis Championship at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan. On that day, the number one Lagos citizen showed Lagosians that he is not only interested in the game, but he could even play the game. When he was coming out from the dressing room, Ambode was already kitted with fitting tennis jersey, carried his big bag on his shoulder and confidently moved to the centre court as if he wanted to play the popular French star, Rafael Nadal. His opponent who happened to be the Tennis Captain of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Adetola Osimosu, was relaxed and smiled to the fans. As Ambode arrived the tennis court, there was a loud ovation from students, fans and other dignitaries, as well as members of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. The cheers made the confidence of the Governor to grow the more. The appearance of Ambode on the court showed that he is not only a lover of the game, but a tennis player. His physique and composure on the court was a clear indication that he was better prepared than his opponent. The governor enjoyed the support of the crowd not because he is the governor, but because of his display of tennis skills on court. His composure on the court affirmed that Ambode knew the rules of the game. The Governor’s opponent was intimidated with the overwhelming support he received from the fans. The Governor of Lagos State held the racket firmly and ensured that he lived up to expectation in front of the crowd who came to watch the finals of Lagos Open International Tennis Championship. Despite the support he received, Ambode was not carried away; he played his game, returned serves from his opponent who could not stand the powerful shot from His Excellency. As the game went on, the Lagos number one citizen gained upper hand and played better than his opponent who saw Ambode as a potential tennis player. Though the exhibition game was for five minutes, throughout the game there was excitement on the faces of the spectators including the foreigners who participated in the Lagos Open. Ambode whose performance was rated above average expressed gratitude to the organizing committee of Lagos Open International Tennis Championships for the success recorded in this year’s edition. In his address, he said his administration would continue to support tennis and other sports to ensure that Lagos City becomes the Mecca of sports. He explained that his presence at the grand finale showed that his administration is committed to sports development and commended the organizers for making this year’s edition a memorable. |
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