The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Shammah Makpa, has applauded the conduct and competitive spirit of players at the ongoing VEMP National Open Tennis Championship in Abuja, Sports247 reporta.
The scribe described their performance as a reflection of the tournament’s success in promoting professionalism, sportsmanship, and talent development.
Speaking on Friday, Makpa praised the athletes for maintaining discipline and showing respect for officiating throughout the tournament.
“I give them kudos — they are the real champions of this tournament, not the Federation,” Makpa said. “Their attitude reflects the success of the competition in promoting fair play and discipline.”
According to the NTF official, a total of 192 players participated across four main events: men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, and women’s doubles. Makpa also noted that the early exit of the defending champion in the women’s singles category has created a platform for emerging talents to showcase their skills — a development he sees as encouraging for the future of Nigerian tennis.
“This tournament has not only lived up to expectations but is also achieving its core objective of identifying and nurturing young talent,” he added.
“Some players discovered in previous editions are now representing Nigeria in international competitions like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.”
Looking ahead, Makpa revealed that the NTF has lined up more competitions for the year, including the Davnoth Open and the prestigious CBN Open. He emphasized that these tournaments would feature increased prize money and are expected to draw even larger participation — with over 128 entries projected for the Davnoth Open alone.
“Continuity and consistency are key,” Makpa stressed. “We’re committed to providing more opportunities for our players to grow and develop.”
Tournament Highlights
In the women’s singles semifinal, Khadijat Mohammed secured a commanding 6-0, 6-3 win over Mary Udofa to book a place in the final against Etoro Bassey.
In the men’s singles, Daniel Adeleye staged an impressive comeback to defeat Canice Abua 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 and will face Lucky Danjuma in the final.
The VEMP National Open continues to serve as a vital platform for the discovery and promotion of tennis talents in Nigeria, reaffirming the Federation’s commitment to grassroots development and elite competition.
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