The 2nd PUMA Engineering Wheelchair Tennis Championship is scheduled to serve off today at the National Tennis Centre, Abuja with Nigerians expected to dominate the main draws.
As at Monday afternoon, more than 25 Nigerians had registered for the singles events which is round of 16 for men’s and women’s singles.
Nigeria swept the titles in the inaugural edition with Alex Adewale and Kafayat Omishore clinching the men’s and women’s singles titles. Adewale is the reigning and seen time national champion and would team up with fellow Paralympian Wasiu Yusuf for the defense of their doubles title; same as Omisore, who paired Kemi Oluwasegun to clinch the women’s doubles crown.
Already, players from Kenya and Ghana are already in the Nigerian capital while Benin, Togo, Zambia Cameroun are expected to land in the country by Tuesday morning latest.
Africa Wheelchair Tennis President, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, who is facilitating the $3,000 prize-money event, assured participants of a memorable stay in Nigeria declaring arrangements to ensure a perfect tournament has been put in place.
“This is one of the biggest wheelchair tennis programme on the calendar of the ITF as far as sub Sahara Africa is concerned and we have put in place everything that would see Nigeria maintain a high standard in terms of organization which would be a complement to our status as one of the giants in the game in Africa,” he said.
Including the host, not less than six countries are billed to be represented in the ITF point-earning tournament which would also aid participants in getting the chance to feature at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.