A Port Harcourt-based junior tennis coach, Lukmon Akinona Ajibose, has cried out over the neglect of tennis in Rivers state, especially the capital city, over the past few years.
In a chat with Nigeria Tennis Live from his base, the coach who was very unhappy about the development, insisted that the standard of tennis in Port Harcourt is nothing to write home about following the dearth of junior tennis competitions in the state.
He noted that for years, there has been no attention to tennis in the state, neither in the junior nor in the senior cadre, as the sport keeps dropping in quality over the years.
According to him: “No junior tournament, year in and out; not even seniors.
“And that can be very discouraging.”
Asked if this challenge is only limited to Port Harcourt or if it is across the entire state, Coach Lukmon noted that it was a scourge disturbing the whole of Rivers state.
Even though he noted that there was a mini tournament a few weeks ago by Chief Ikenna Okafor, a member of the Port Harcourt Club, there has been no particular developmental plan for the sport in the state.
About the tennis association in the state, he noted that although they have members who represent the interest of the people in there, they have not been totally forthcoming as they are required to.
Nigeria Tennis Live made frantic efforts to speak with the Chairman of the tennis association in the state, but calls put across to his phone were not picked as at press time.
Our correspondent will keep up with updates from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and report to our teeming followers from all over the world.