CBN Junior Tennis serves off Monday

By John Egbokhan

Main draw matches in the 2011 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Junior Tennis tourney serves off Monday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club in Onikan.

Disclosing this during the week in Lagos, Tournament Director of the competition, Godwin Kienka, said that only players who fall within the age range of 10 and 18 are eligible to feature in the event, which finals hold on May 7 at the same venue.

Kienka said the competition has now become one of the major events of the International Tennis Academy, which all young tennis players, fans and other stakeholders look forward to annually.

Also speaking, Faruk Garko, Direcror, Governor’s Department, CBN, said tat the apex back, in its determination to ensure the development of tennis, has continued to sponsor the Junior event, to ensure that young talents are discovered early nurtured to limelight.

He said that the management has noted with satisfaction, the steady development and success recorded in the competition as players from the tournament have always represented Nigeria in the Africa Junior Tennis Championships and other international competitions.

Garko said that to further consolidate the gains of the of the competition, plans are afoot by the International Tennis Academy to set up a CBN Futures Team, comprising the best eight players drawn from th 16s and 182.

“The players will be assembled for training and taken as a team to national tournaments and international ranking events while establishing a string transition platform for the senior category and tennis development”, said Garko, who was represented by Mrs Odessa Ogunmola, Head of the Events Department in the CBN.