25th April, 2013
Winners of this year’s Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Senior Tennis Open will go home with the sum of N14.3 million.
This is an increase from N9.06m which was given to the winners in the last two years by the apex bank.
CBN’s Head of Internal Communications, Mrs. Odusanya Ogunmola, told sports journalists at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos yesterday that the increment was as a result of the unflinching support the bank has for Nigerian tennis.
She said the bank is poised to ensure that tennis is taken to greater heights. “The fact that we have raised the stakes underlines our support for the sport in Nigeria. It’s also part of our social responsibility to ensure that the game continues to be promoted and developed in Nigeria. So we are really delighted to carry on with the sponsorship of this tournament,” she said.
Professor Ikuolayo, a member of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, commended the CBN and called on other corporate organisation to come to the aid of tennis in the country.
Ikuolayo hailed the apex bank for agreeing to add wheelchair tennis to this year’s CBN Open, a move which she believes will help improve the sport in the country.
“For over three decades now, CBN has been bankrolling this tournament and I really want to commend this great effort,” she said.
The 35th CBN Open will serve off today at the tennis courts of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and run till Saturday, 4 April, 2013.
—Damilare Okunola