Nigeria’s top female professional tennis player, Oyinlomo Quadre, has been handed a wild card to compete at the inaugural Destiny Da-Silva National Open Tennis Championship in Lagos.
Quadre, who helped Nigeria gain promotion to the Billie Jean King Cup Europe/Africa Group II a few months ago, is among the players granted direct entry into the main draw of the competition by the tournament organizers.
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Her participation will be a major attraction for Nigerian tennis fans, particularly as the former Oklahoma University student-athlete has not featured in a national tournament in the country outside the National Sports Festival. Her appearance presents an opportunity for local fans to watch one of the country’s leading female players compete on home soil.
Also securing a wild card into the competition is Kalada Kienka, son of renowned Nigerian tennis player, coach and administrator, Godwin Kienka.
Tournament Director and sponsor, Destiny Ford Da-Silva, explained to Nigeria Tennis Live how the organizers arrived at their selection of wild card recipients.
The former Davis Cup player disclosed that the men’s wild card slots were distributed among four clubs with which he is affiliated, with players having to compete in trials to earn their places.
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“We gave a wild card slot to every club that I belong to; the Ikoyi Club, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Lagos Country Club and the Mainland Tennis Club, and I was told that the players were made to play trials to get the slot.
“It was a serious battle for the slots to get into the Men’s Singles main draw via the wild card route, and I believe everyone who made it is deserving of it.
“For the Women’s event, we gave the wild card slots to former top players who showed interest in playing the event, and that’s why we have the likes of Ronke Akingbade, Oyinlomo Quadre, Ohunene Yakubu (a top junior player) and the likes in the main draw,” he told Nigeria Tennis Live.
The players awarded wild cards in the Men’s Singles are Kalada Kienka, Bode Lawal, Muiz Owolabi and Ayomide Oduwaye.
In the Women’s Singles, Oyinlomo Quadre, Ronke Akingbade, Sofia Agbabiaka and Ohunene Yakubu got the wild card entries into the main draw.
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The qualifying rounds of the Destiny Da-Silva National Open Tennis Championship are scheduled to begin on Friday, 13 November, 2026, while the main draw will run from Monday, 16 November to Saturday, 21 November at the tennis section of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Nigeria Tennis Live will continue to provide updates on the latest developments ahead of the championship.