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| Young Onoja is one of the junior tennis players expected to participate in the week-long Championship in Kaduna |
Barely a few weeks after successfully hosting the second NNPC/ SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship, the NNPC is set to host another tournament for upcoming tennis players.
According to Mr. Godwin Kienka, Director of the International Tennis Academy, ITA, organisers of the annual event, the train will move to Kaduna, Northern Nigeria in November.
Mr. Kienka, who made this disclosure during a brief chat with Naija Tennis Specialover the weekend, stated that the tournament is open to all tennis players within the ages of 12 and 16.
“This is a tournament that we hold every year, as part of our programmes at the ITA, to develop Nigerian tennis from the very foundation.
“As is our usual practice, it will be open to all tennis players within ages 12, 14 and 16. Our choice of Kaduna is to ensure that we move round the country to discover the hidden talents in the sport and nurture them to greatness,” he explained.
On whether the challenges of insecurity may likely disturb the players’ activities during the tournament, the ex-journalist disclosed that it has never posed a threat to the event.
In his words, “we have very good logistics in place. Hamdallah Hotel, where we usually lodge, is just across the road from where the court is located.
“Everything we want to do takes place at the Murtala Mohammed Square right there in Kaduna and we have a very conducive atmosphere for the tournament.
“So, there is really nothing to worry about.”
The tournament will hold from Monday, 3 November to Saturday, 8 November.