Yusuf Datti, the Tournament Director at the Dala Hard Court tournament in Kano State, has given an important update about the forthcoming tournament.
This update was necessary after players spoke up about the prize money and the fact that it no longer caters to the needs of the participants, especially those who lose out in the first round.
Nigeria Tennis Live gathered that the prize money for first round losers is about N33,000 which most players will ultimately use for their feeding, accommodation, transportation, et al.
The players are of the opinion that they expect an upward review of the prize monies to reflect the realities of the situation in the country.
For some, they may need to fly to and from the venue of the competition, while those who travel by road are discouraged from participating in the national tournament owing to the hike in fares across the nation.
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Nigeria Tennis Live, therefore, reached out to the tournament organizers to find out if a review of the prize monies was being considered, especially due to the players’ outcry.
Mr. Datti, who spoke with our correspondent from Kano State, noted that there will be a meeting by the organizers, where a few issues will be discussed.
He said: “We’re having a meeting on Monday where decisions will be taken about Dala”.
When asked if the decision included prize money for the players, he noted that: “everything will be discussed, and that’s when we’ll decide when to issue press releases about the tournament.
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“So, you can call me back on Monday afternoon to get the feedback from me.”
Unsatisfied by his response to the questions about the players’ complaints about the prize money, Nigeria Tennis Live asked if their discussions would include the recent situation in Nigeria with respect to the prize money, he said: “I don’t want to preempt the outcome of the meeting on Monday, but it will be discussed during the meeting.
“We always discuss the issue of price money during these meetings every year, so, this year will not be an exemption.”