Former Nigerian tennis professional Sunday Igbinovia has expressed optimism about the future of tennis in the country, citing growing grassroots participation, increased awareness, and renewed efforts to develop young talents.
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Igbinovia made these remarks while speaking with Sports247 in Lagos on the sidelines of the 2026 Davis Cup World Group II Playoff between Nigeria and Uzbekistan at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.
The former professional player who has now transitioned into coaching and tennis development noted that tennis in Nigeria during his era was enjoyable but challenging due to limited sponsorship and financial support.
“It was a sweet journey back then because there were many tournaments and we enjoyed playing. But it wasn’t easy. There were little sponsors, and tennis is a very capital-intensive sport,” he explained. “We tried our best, but we couldn’t go as far as the younger players are going now.”
He added that those challenges have motivated him and his brother, Jonathan Igbinovia, to establish a tennis academy aimed at addressing the gaps they experienced as players.
“We are setting up an academy to put in place what we lacked back then. A good example is my son, Wilson Igbinovia, who is a member of the Davis Cup team and currently plays college tennis in the United States, ranked 36 nationally. That shows what proper structure and exposure can do,” he said.
On the growing popularity of tennis in Nigeria, Igbinovia observed that more parents are now allowing their children to take up the sport, a development he described as encouraging.
“The future is very bright because we have taken tennis back to the grassroots,” he said.
“Awareness is key. Tennis has to start from primary schools so that the common man can relate to the game. Through my academy, I work with many schools to introduce children to tennis, and you can see that more people are playing the game now.”
Igbinovia believes Nigeria is capable of producing players who can compete at the highest level, stressing the importance of exposure and sponsorship.
“It’s coming. We can see it, especially if we don’t relent in building exposure,” he said.
“Most of these players are local boys. We need to expose them to higher-level competitions and get sponsors who can help them match the pace of players from other countries.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s performance in the ongoing Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan, Igbinovia, who is also part of the planning committee, expressed satisfaction with the organisation and team effort.
“The pressure is good, and I think we planned very well, which is why we are seeing these results,” he said.
However, he lamented the limited involvement of the private sector in tennis development in Nigeria.
“Support from the private sector is still very little,” Igbinovia said.
“But we are engaging them, asking them to believe in us and invest more in the game. Tennis has so much potential in this country.”
Despite the challenges, Igbinovia remains confident that with sustained grassroots development, better exposure, and increased investment, Nigerian tennis is on a promising path.
