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| Gabriel Richard, the new kid on the bloc |
Tennis is not a very popular in Nigeria, not the least in the northern part of the country.
However, the sport has produced some great tennis player from the north; Sunday Emmanuel, Candy Idoko, Shehu Lawal, among other great tennis players.
And when the International Tennis Academy, ITA, through its partnership with the NNPC brought its Junior Circuit to the state, it was expecting a major turnout, but not many people caught the vibes.
Three days after hostilities began at the Murtala Square, Kaduna, venue of the tournament, it is apparent that many fans are unaware of how much they are missing.
Apart from “established” junior players in the mould of MaryLove Edwards, Iye Onoja, Angel McCleod, Gabriel Friday, Christopher Itodo, among other good players who lit up the tennis arena, little known Gabriel Richard and some other new players also put up eye-catching performances.
As the tournament nears its closing stages, tennis enthusiasts, coaches, parents and players present at the Murtala Square, will agree that tennis has come to stay in KADA City if it gets more viewership and sponsorship.