Ekwueme sees betters days ahead for Nigerian tennis
October 12, 2012 18:53
NAN-H-24
Ekwueme
Enugu, Oct. 12, 2012 (NAN) Former Vice President Alex Ekwueme said on Friday in Enugu that the future held hope for Nigerian tennis.
He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines during the Dr Alex Ekwueme U-18 Tennis Championship which ended on Friday.
Ekwueme said that Nigeria had talented players but that what they lacked was competition.
The former vice president urged tennis enthusiasts to join hands to sponsor more tournaments for the players.
Ekwueme said that he was encouraged by the display of talents by the 32 boys who featured in the tournament which, he said, he planned to make an annual event.
He added that he would enlarge the tournament to include girls in the future, saying that it was not good to discriminate against them.
The Chairman of the organising committee, Chief Ben Ezeibe, said during the closing ceremony that the tournament was targeted at the youth because they held the hope for the future.
``The greater the number of juniors who go into tennis the greater our possibility of producing stars,’’ Ezeibe said.
He said that the tournament, sponsored by associates of the former vice president, was part of the celebration of his 80th birthday.
The final game was a battle of the top seeds as number one Umaru Balami of Lagos defeated second seeded Emmanuel Idoko of Benue 6-4, 6-4 to win a giant trophy.
Tennis equipment and wears were presented to the players as prizes. (NAN)
MVO/II
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