The organizers of the annual Lagos Open ITF Pro Circuit (now known as ITF World Tour) have revealed their plans to upgrade the tournament from a pro-circuit event to a Challenger Series.
This, Nigeria Tennis Live gathered, is to ensure that participants get ATP points as against the ITF ranking that the world tour offers players that are participating.
In a brief chat with our correspondent over the weekend, Prince Wale Oladunjoye, the Tournament Director of the annual competition, the plan is to first start with the men, to gradually upgrade them to the Challenger series.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was involved in an exhibition match at the 2018 edition of the tournament in Lagos.
“We don’t have a clear go ahead yet, actually, but the plan (for now) is to have the Challenger series for the men and the women will still maintain the ITF status,” he explained.
The grassroots sports advocate noted that the women’s tournament will be worked on going forward, but that the organisers want to gradually move from the World Tour to the Challengers.
Prince Oladunjoye told Nigeria Tennis Live that: “Even the Challenger series may start with just one week as against the usual practice of having two weeks for the competition.
“We want to gradually and steadily migrate from the ITF pro-circuit stage to the bigger one. Then, we move on from there.
“We don’t have all of these yet, however, but that’s the plan for this year’s Lagos Open competition.
“When we have the clearer picture, and everything has been sorted out, we shall call a press conference to inform the media.”
Recall that the tournament formerly called Governors Cup Lagos Tennis Championship experienced a re-branding ahead of the 2018 edition, where it was called Lagos Open for the very first time.
16-year-old former Wimbledon finalist, Jack Draper from Britain, won the 2018 edition of the tournament amid loud cheers by spectators and fans who stormed the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club venue of the competition to watch top tennis action.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep monitoring the developments leading to the commencement of the tournament and keep our esteemed followers informed.