Sports
Coach Decries Falling Tennis Standard
A former Lagos State tennis coach, Kehinde Ajayi, has decried the dearth of quality tennis competitions in the country, warning that this could affect development of the sport.
Ajayi said in Lagos that the standard of the game had dropped due to lack of competitions and exposure of the players.
He said that the slide in standard needed to be stopped for tennis to recover its lost glory in Nigeria and implored stakeholders to sponsor competitions.
“We also implore individuals and corporate organisations to help sponsor local and international competitions for the sport to regain its standard,’’ Ajayi said.
According to him, competitions are avenues to discover budding talents and for the players to learn techniques to enable them to compete favourably in international tournaments.
Ajayi said that during the just concluded Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Open Championship in Lagos, the falling standard of the game was witnessed.
“Most of their serves were poor and most of them easily lost hope when they could not win their first set,’’ he said.
Ajayi, a 1973 ECOWAS tennis silver medallist, recalled that the standard of the game was very high in the 1970s and early 1980s.
He noted that players then had their skills honed through regular competitions, including international championships.
Ajayi advised the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) to assist upcoming players to reach their peak by organising competitions which would give them necessary exposure for future challenges.
He advised the NTF and other stakeholders to be accountable and transparent in the expenditure of sponsorship funds in order to encourage individuals and corporate bodies to do more.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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