Sports
NTF President Sues For Periodic Tournaments
The President of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Ifedayo Akindoju, last Monday said the introduction of periodic tournaments in Nigeria was key to improving professionalism and expertise in tennis game.
Akindoju told newsmen in Abuja that many of Nigeria’s tennis players lacked adequate exposure due to the absence of tournaments.
He said that only steady practices and competitions could motivate and develop individual talents in tennis as it was done in other climes.
“Rafael Nadal, like any other high-flying tennis player, trained for a minimum of four hours per day just to be where he is today.
“The secrets of success in tennis are interest, hard work, dedication and, above all, finance. Once we get these pathways right, we shall be there,’’ Akindoju said.
The tennis federation president, who restated the call for sponsorship, said tennis should not be seen as a part-time job.
He explained that the game should be seen and played as a full-time job in order to achieve the required result.
Akindoju said the federation was bent on elevating the sport to the level of international best practices, even though he regretted that finance was the federation’s major challenge.
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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