30th December, 2015
The Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), has named a five-man Local Organising Committee, LOC, in readiness for the hosting of ITF /CAT Africa Junior Championship West and Central Africa Zonal Qualifiers billed for 9 – 17 January, 2016 in Abuja.
The LOC, which is tasked with the responsibility to ensure a flawless hosting of the championship, has the Vice-President of the NTF Yemi Owoseni as chairman while Bulus Hussein, Nigerian Davis Cup captain Rotimi Akinloye and Seidu Musa are members. NTF Scribe, Gloria Ekwempu-Chiwunko will serve as secretary.
This will be the second time Owoseni, who is also the vice president of the Confederation of African Tennis Zone 2 will be saddled with the task of leading a team to organize a major championship hosted by Nigeria, as he was the head of the Main Organizing Committee for the 2010 AJC which was also hosted in Abuja.
The championship, which serves as the CAT Zone 2 qualifiers for the Africa Junior Championship in South Africa in May 2016 is expected to feature at least 80 players from 12 countries.
Nigeria is hosting the zonal qualifiers for the second time in three years having hosted and won the event in 2014.
Nigeria is also the defending champion as the junior team won the championship in Lome, Togo early this year.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria will open camp for the championship on Sunday with 36 players.
National junior tennis coach, Mohammed Ubale said all invited players are expected to arrive camp on Sunday evening with training scheduled to commence on Monday morning.
“We have sent out letters to the players early so that we can follow the programme that has been drawn for the players while they are in camp. We don’t want to take chances because our target is to get at least 16 of our players to the main championship in South Afrcia.
“Aside, we have been the team to beat in this championship and we are determined to sustain our dominance as far as the zonal qualifiers are concerned,” he said.