By Martin Ekpeke
A whopping N23 million has been earmarked for winning during this year’s Lawn Tennis Tournament being hosted and sponsored by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Declaring the tournament open at the Ikoyi Club 1938 Tennis Section in Lagos, the Excutive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, disclosed that the money would be earned by the 12 participating teams.
A breakdown of how the teams would earn the money shows that winning team will receive N7 million, the second best will go home with N5 million, the third will receive N3 million, while the fourth will earn N2 million for their efforts. The remaining teams would receive N500,000 each for their participation.
“The winner of this year’s NCC sponsored Lawn Tennis Cup would receive N7 million, the second best will go home with N5 million, the third will receive N3 million, while the fourth will earn N2 million for their efforts,” Danbatta, who was represented by the Director of Special Duties, Mrs Iyabo Sholanke explained.
Sholanke noted that since 2015 when the tournament started, it has received the participation of best tennis players, including a number of Nigerian players based abroad, stressing that the NCC tennis cup is open to all, including the the very best male and female tennis players in Nigeria.
She added that NCC decided to sponsor the tournament principally because of its commitment to invest in the development and sharpening of skill of Nigerian citizens who could develop to the point of making livings with Lawn Tennis and also doing the nation proud by winning Laurels.
