From next season, the winner in the men’s category at the yearly Davnotch National Tennis Championships will earn N1 million, the organisers have said.

The increment in prize money, according to the sponsors, is part of the efforts to ensure that players at the yearly championship are motivated to do their best at the event.

Davnotch’s Managing Director, Emmanuel Ochei, who announced the increment at the just concluded sixth edition of the tourney held at the Dayo Akindoju Centre Court of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, disclosed that apart from the men’s first prize winner, the champion in the ladies’ category will get N800,000, just as the other prizes have been increased.

Reacting to the announcement, the men’s champion, Yusuf Abubakar, expressed gratitude to Davnotch for “providing a resourceful platform for his personal growth and that of tennis generally in Nigeria in view of the fact that the victorious Davis Cup team were predominantly products of the championship.

Also grateful to the sponsors, Success Ogunjobi, who won the ladies’ category, described the announcement as “soul lifting and inspiring gesture,” which is the necessary springboard towards excellence.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) has named the centre court of the MKO Abiola Stadium’s tennis arena after the deceased ex-president of the federation, Dayo Akindoju.

The gesture, the NTF said, is in appreciation of the contributions of the late president to tennis development.