Tennis: Better days await players, Makpa assures

Shammah Makpa, Secretary-General of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), has assured players that 2024 will bring them better times in both local and international competitions.

Makpa told our reporter in an interview in Abuja on Thursday, that players would be adequately prepared for local and international competitions.

According to him, the just concluded first and second leg International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors (WTTJ) J30, was part of plans by NTF to raise the standards of Nigeria tennis players.

“This kind of competition has its own goals and aims, one of which is to support our domestic players.

“It has benefited our players’ performances, since it encourages them to compete with one another and raise their abilities and standards,” he said.

“As they compete with other players from other parts of the world, it is an achievement that has enabled them to improve their skills and capacity.

“The athletes were able to accumulate points, raise their ranking, get more experience, exposure and get more publicity.

“The players were able to develop their skills, and are ready for future competitions by competing in an event of this caliber,” he said.

The competition witnessed players from Russia, Hong Kong, China, and Nigeria. Nigerian players claimed the first and the second leg gold medals and trophies.

‘Though we had expected more countries and players for this edition. “I think we can meet that goal with the second edition, which is coming up in June,” he said.

Makpa who expressed happiness over the performance of Nigeria, said it was a competitive and insightful even.

“Some of these athletes are between the ages of 15 and 16. Imagine that they are documenting this amount of achievement at this point.

“The lined up programmes planned by NTF will make Nigerian athletes have brighter days in the future,” he said.