There are strong indications that this year’s Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship, a major event on the calendar of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), might not hold.
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This year’s event, which ought to be the 14th edition since it served off in 2000, had been billed to hold at its traditional venue, the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club (LLTC), Victoria Island in October.
Impeccable source close to the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) informed TheNiche that this year’s edition may not hold for two major reasons.
He said: “First, the ITF officials complained bitterly of insecurity in the country as regards the Boko Haram menace and they have made their intentions known to the leadership of the NTF as well as the organisers of the championship.
“Second is the deadly Ebola virus, which has also caused the postponement of not less than three major international competitions in Lagos – the annual Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) International Taekwondo Tournament, Aspire Football dream event, and the yearly Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship.
When TheNiche called the President of the NTF, Sani Ndanusa, on the development, a voice that picked his phone said he was busy and would return the call when free.
He was yet to call back as at press time.
But our source, who is also close the NTF president, informed that he (Ndanusa) was not a good mood to comment on the situation.
When our correspondent visited the tennis section of the NTF inside the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, some of the players seen on the tennis courts also failed to comment on the development, but expressed sadness that the competition may not hold this year.
“That is one championship that we see as a unifying factor that brings us together with other players across the world and it will be a sad development if it is not holding this year for the first time since it started,” said one of the players who pleaded anonymity.
The championship came into existence in 2000 when some friends of then Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, came together to sponsor and organise the championship in his honour.
Since then, the championship has moved to a higher level and accepted by the ITF as a major championship on its calendar, with over 50 national tennis associations and over 300 players across the world participating.
The ITF is the governing body of world tennis made up of 210 national tennis associations or corresponding organisations of independent countries or territories.