This year’s edition of Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship will witness introduction of Wheelchair and Junior Tennis.
The Governor’s Cup, which enters its 13th edition, will be played on Sunday, 13th October through Sunday 27th, October at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
Prince Wale Oladunjoye, Tournament Director of the International Tennis Federation, ITF, approved circuit said that the Local Organising Committee, LOC, headed by Chief Pius Akinyelure and Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, wanted to use the Governor’s Cup to feature wheelchair and junior tennis during this year’s championship, sponsored by Etisalat Nigeria, FCMB Plc., LASACO Assurance Plc., CCECC Limited, PLYCON Limited and several other notable companies and individuals.
“We are featuring in this year’s Governor’s Cup wheelchair tennis and a junior clinic for players in two age categories; U-10 and U-14.,” said Prince Oladunjoye, who is also the Principal Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.
According to him, the organisers have concluded arrangements to stage a clinic for the wheelchair and the junior tennis players in a bid to widen their horizon in the world of tennis as the event has been designed in a way that it would not affect the flow of Governor’s Cup matches.
“The plan is to have the wheelchair tennis and the junior clinic take place in the morning (between 10am and 12noon) before matches of the Governor’s Cup in the afternoon from 12.00pm to 6-7p.m. We are giving time that won’t affect the flow of the Futures of the Governor’s Cup matches.
He said the wheelchair and junior tennis players would start from the round of sixteen as the Local Organising Committee,L.O.C, would give out mini rackets and other tennis kits to the junior tennis players to play under the watchful eyes of coaches being assigned to handle them.
He explained that there would be seasoned coaches who would be selected by the Technical Committee of the L.O.C to take the kids through rudiments of tennis as plans have been concluded to mobilize and remunerate for providing a laudable service.
Following limited spaces available, the organisers are expecting a total of three hundred kids in the under - 10 and under14 categories as it would be first come, first serve.
“All logistics for the two unique events have been put in place by the Nigeria Tennis Federation for the wheelchair tennis which will be played in the Round of 16 and the junior clinic by the LOC.
"The LOC will give these youngsters in the clinic mini rackets and other kits which they will take home at the end of the day for them to continue to play tennis under the watchful eyes of coaches being assembled for them.
“The mini rackets are ideal for players U-14 to use due to the light weight of the rackets and it is mandatory for all under age to use, while players above 14 are eligible to carry rackets of their choice.
“There will be seasoned coaches who will be selected by the Technical Committee of the LOC to take these kids through rudiments of the game. The coaches will be mobilized and remunerated for the job they will do during this period.
“Parents who want to register their wards for the clinic will download the forms from the Governor’s Cup website; www.governorscuplagostennis.com and fill them online.
“Because of limited spaces, we are expecting 300 children, 150 in the U-10 and 150 entries in the U-14 category. It will be first come first serve basis,” said Oladunjoye.
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