NTF Releases List Of Players To Prosecute 13th African Games

The Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) has officially released the list of players expected to prosecute the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

The much anticipated list which consists majorly of foreign-based players was confirmed to Nigeria Tennis Live by the Secretary of the Federation, Makpa Aliyu.

He noted that the players on the list were arrived at by the coaches after certain considerations were made and the players’ conditions looked into.

READ ALSO: How We Won Nigeria’s Last Gold Medal At The African Games – Mbanu

“We had sent a preliminary list which included our foreign players and the guys in camp to the LOC of the African Games ahead of the competition, because we wanted to be sure everybody was eligible to participate.

“The camping was meant to see how fit and ready the players were ahead of the Games, and that was what we witnessed.

“However, we were shocked to hear that some of our players’ names were not entered into the portal of the organizers of the Games and a number of our players were omitted from the list.

“Fortunately, we still had some of the foreign players registered, and we had to go for the best options in supporting them at the Games, this only happened for the Men’s Team,” he explained to Nigeria Tennis Live.

He also added that the list was compiled at the discretion of the coaches who are more familiar with the players, and not anything to do with the Secretariat.

READ ALSO: How We Won Nigeria’s Last Gold Medal At The African Games – Mbanu

“If I ask you to talk to the coaches about how they arrived at the players, that wouldn’t be wrong, because they’re the ones who tell us which players will be good enough for the competition,” the NTF Secretary added.

To lead Nigeria’s charge for gold medal in the Men’s tennis events are Abubakar Yusuf, Christopher Bulus, Uche Oparaoji and Wilson Igbinovia while the Women’s team includes Adesuwa Osabuohien, Divine Nweke, Marylove Edwards and Oyinlomo Quadre.

The team will be led to Ghana by Davis Cup coach, Benson Ishicheli and the head of the NTF Technical Crew, Rotimi Akinloye, who also took Nigeria’s Women’s Team to the Billie Jean King Cup event in Kenya last year.

The Nigerian tennis team is expected to depart the shores of the country on Monday, 11 March ahead of the tennis event which is scheduled to serve off on 16 March, 2024.

Nigeria Tennis Live will share all the details leading to the commencement of the competition with our teeming audience scattered across the globe.