Abuja set for 21-day 'tennis festival' as foreigners storm Nigeria

Nigeria’s capital, Abuja is set for a 'tennis festival' as three ITF Futures Championships - Tombim Abuja Open, Dayak Tennis Championship, and GSL Open, hold at the National Stadium, Abuja, from May 1 to 21.
 

According to the organisers, the introduction of GSL Open, increases the number of ITF Futures in

 
Nigeria to four; three of which is in Abuja, while the Lagos Governor’s Cup completes the
country’s presence on the ITF Calendar.
 
It’s the third successive year that the number of ITF Futures tournament in Nigeria is increasing as the Tombim Abuja Open is in its third straight year, while the Dayak Championship would be marking its second edition.
 
“We are pleased to say that this objective has been partially fulfilled as Gladiator Systems
Limited (GSL), impressed by the success of the Tombim and Dayak championships last year, has decided to join the list of sponsors by sponsoring the GSL Open,” Tournament Director,
Ikani Agabi stated, adding the objective is to have as many as 10 ITF Futures tournaments in
Nigeria in the next few years.
 
The Tombim Abuja Open holds from May 1 to 6 while the Dayak Championship will run from May 8 to 13. The GSL Open will round off a seemingly tennis festival from May 13 to 21.
 
Each of the tournament has a $25, 000.00 prize-money while the competition has 35 ATP points up for grabs for each week. The winner of all three legs has the potential to jump from not being ranked at all in the world, to being ranked in the top 500 in the world.
 

Entries have been received from Russia, the United States, Uzbekistan Brazil, India,
Argentina, South Africa, Croatia, Spain, Zimbabwe, Canada, Uganda, Togo, France, Moldova,
Ghana, Zambia, Germany and the United Kingdom, among others.
 
“The competition is borne out of a desire to provide opportunities for Nigerian Players to
collect vital ATP points, and to attract some of the best up-and- coming players in the world to
play in Nigeria. The organisers also want to use the competition to show that Nigeria is not as
bad as it is portrayed around the world. We are honest, hard working, friendly and peace-loving people, who are very hospitable to foreigners,"Agabi added.
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Caption:

Photo 1: One of Nigeria's leading women tennis players, Sarah Adegoke set for the tournaments. 
 
Photo 2: Nigeria's Moses Michael, can he re-enact his awe-inspiring form in the tournaments?