The Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) has begun preparations to host six weeks of Junior ITF Circuit events in the country, Nigeria Tennis Live has scooped.
This is following from the federation’s introduction of a two-week event in 2019, the first of its kind in the country, and the plan of the NTF to see that junior tennis is given top priority in the coming years.
Nigeria Tennis Live, in a chat with Engr. Ifedayo Akindoju, the NTF President, gathered that the federation has already kicked off plans to ensure that there are six weeks of junior ITF competitions in the country in 2020.
He explained that the plans to have more weeks of competitive junior tennis action in 2019 fell through because the request from the federation got to the ITF quite late, but he believes that this year’s edition will be much better as the process has already begun.
When our correspondent sought to know if there would be a repeat of the Junior ITF Circuit event in 2020, Engr. Akindoju who sponsors the annual DAYAK Open, said: “We have already begun preparations to host six weeks of Junior ITF Circuit this year. Two in Lagos and four in Abuja.
“We have submitted our request so that they can give us an early date, say like April or March for the Lagos edition, while the remaining four weeks can be taken to Abuja.”
While explaining further, the tennis aficionado noted that, “We are planning for one to happen during the ITF World Tour event in Abuja, so that we can have a strong representation of ITF events in Nigeria simultaneously.”
This latest news will come as a big boost for junior tennis development in Nigeria and parents will be excited to have their kids play junior ITF competitions in the country as a way of raising their profiles.
As was the case with the first edition of the championship, Nigerians would be hoping that it is another case of hosting to win as Nigerian youngsters won both legs of the competition, both in the boys and girls’ categories.
Nigeria Tennis Live will continue to give our esteemed followers and readers updates from the plans by the NTF as well as the dates for the competition whenever it is announced.