Wheelchair Tennis: Nigeria’s Adewale To Play In U.S. Open

P.M.NEWS Tennis Special can report that Nigeria’s top wheelchair tennis player, Alex Adewale will be one of the stars who will jostle for the $37,500 prize money at this year’s US Open for the disabled.

The vastly travelled Adewale informed that he had to leave the shores of the country to get himself competitions that will help raise his profile in the game and he will be glad playing in the US Open this year.

He said: “I will be playing at this year’s US Open by the grace of God because that is one of the reasons I left the country for America.

“Nigeria has been without championships for some years prior to this year when wheelchair tennis was featured in the CBN Open. I was forced to travel in order to build my career in the United States.”

Adewale also added that, “I have played one tournament here, the Midwest Championship in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I will be playing another this week in South Carolina before the US Open serves off. That is to show you the level of development of the game here in the US.

“I lost out in the first round of my first championship here due to shoulder injury, but I will bounce back in this week’s championship. I really have to get playing frequently to gain fitness and garner more experience,” he said.

The winner of this year’s CBN Open for wheelchair tennis players further said that he would really love to compete at this year’s Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship in October if Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, lives up to its promise of featuring in the International Tennis Federation, ITF, sanctioned circuit.

“I have tournaments that I will play after the US Open in September and in October as well. However, I would really want to participate at this year’s Governor’s Cup if wheelchair tennis is added as we were being told.

“I came to US to play championships and I can’t forget my roots. Though things don’t seem to be going smoothly back home, I will be back, if not for any reason, to appreciate Engr. Sani Ndanusa, our president, for his unflinching support because he was the one that brought me this far in the game apart from God’s grace and hard work,” Adewale said.

The US Open is billed to start from 27 August to 1 September, 2013.

—Damilare Okunola