The Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) has called for increased investment and more competitions in Wheelchair Tennis, as the 47th Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Open Tennis Championship continues to record impressive participation and heightened competition in Abuja.
Speaking during the ongoing championship on Friday, NTF Secretary-General, Shammah Makpa, praised the growth of Wheelchair Tennis in Nigeria and commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its sustained support of tennis development across the country.
Key Highlights:
- NTF advocates more tournaments to boost Wheelchair Tennis development.
- 47th CBN Open Championship records one of its highest participation levels.
- Preliminary rounds featured a full draw of 128 players.
- Wheelchair Tennis category attracted 32 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams.
- Nigeria remains one of Africa’s leading Wheelchair Tennis nations.
- NTF seeks greater youth participation to sustain future growth.
- NSC receives praise for supporting tennis development nationwide.
- Finals of the 47th CBN Open Championship scheduled for June 20.
Makpa described the tournament as one of the most competitive editions in recent years, noting that the high turnout reflects growing interest in tennis across different categories.
“The CBN Open Championship is going on well. Very impressive performance,” he said. “We have one of the highest numbers of participants this time. It is highly competitive, and by the grace of God, we are going to have the finals tomorrow in the men’s and women’s singles categories.”
According to him, the large turnout was evident in the preliminary rounds, which featured a full draw of 128 players competing for qualification into the main event.
“From the draw, you can see quite a number of players came. The preliminaries were very competitive. We had a full draw of 128 players, and from there, qualifiers advanced into the main draw,” he explained.
Makpa noted that the championship structure aligns with international standards, featuring 64 players in the men’s singles and 32 players in the women’s singles categories.
The NTF Secretary-General highlighted the increasing prominence of Wheelchair Tennis at the championship, revealing that the event featured 32 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams in the category.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s leading Wheelchair Tennis nations, Makpa stressed the need for more tournaments and developmental programmes to sustain progress.
“What I agree with is that we should create more opportunities for Wheelchair Tennis tournaments. With the current board led by the President, Right Honourable Victor Che, I believe we are going to have more competitions. It is part of our strategic plan,” he said.
He explained that expanding the competition calendar would improve performance levels and increase competitiveness among athletes.
“We are going to have more tournaments for both wheelchair and able-bodied players. We need more competitions to improve competitiveness in Wheelchair Tennis,” he added.
Makpa expressed concern over the ageing profile of many current Wheelchair Tennis players, emphasizing the need to attract younger athletes into the sport.
“Wheelchair Tennis has been very good in Nigeria. We are among the best in Africa and have represented the continent at major international competitions, including the World Team Cup,” he said.
“Most of the players are aging, so we need to create opportunities for younger Wheelchair Tennis players to come into the system. Once that is done, expansion of tournament participation will naturally follow.”
Makpa also applauded the National Sports Commission for its commitment to developing tennis in Nigeria, describing the support as instrumental to the sport’s recent progress.
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He expressed confidence that with continued investment and strategic planning, Nigerian tennis could emerge as a dominant force in Africa while improving its standing on the global stage.
“With the support we are receiving, I am optimistic that within the next two to three years, Nigerian tennis will become one of the best in Africa and compete strongly at the global level,” he stated.
The finals of the 47th CBN Open Tennis Championship will take place on Saturday, June 20, with a large turnout of fans, stakeholders, and tennis enthusiasts expected as the tournament reaches its climax.
