Nigeria Tennis may be gaining some major rep on the international level, but it is not the same for its players and the dark clouds will only give way to rain; not sunshine.
As the rest of the world gets set to compete in the Lagos Open, many concerns have been raised by players based in Nigeria and what the future holds for them.
Fours days before the competition, a group of seven Tennis players left Abuja where they had been competing in the National Tour.
They traveled by road but came face to face with the rottenness of security operatives on the highways.
One of the players narrated their ordeal at the hands of mobile policemen who intimidated and harassed them en route Lagos for the biggest Tennis event holding in the Country this year.
They were held up, marched out of their car, forced to sit on the wet, muddy roadside, even after all had presented identifications as Athletes.
It took many several minutes of pleading and defending their claims with national ID cards, International passports and pictures on their phones for the policemen to let them proceed.
On the matter of Tennis, Nigeria’s top-ranked Women’s player Sarah Adegoke also painted a gloomy picture that pretty much sums up 2018 in Nigerian Tennis.
‘After the 9th month of the year and Nigerian players based in Nigeria have only really had the chance to compete in two national events before the Open.
‘We are not mentally or physically ready for the tournament this year and frankly will not match the opposition from players coming in from Countries where competitions are held weekly or even monthly,’ she told Brila.net
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