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Nigeria can reclaim its lost glory in tennis, Odizor says

Odizor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) he was confident the present situation could change for the better if all stakeholders could rally round to enforce changes.

Nduka Odizor, an ex-international tennis player, on Tuesday in Abuja said he believed the country was capable of reclaiming its lost glory in the game of tennis.

Odizor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) he was confident the present situation could change for the better if all stakeholders could rally round to enforce changes.

NAN reports that Nigeria, which used to be the top ranked African country, has slipped to number seven in Africa.

Odizor said the issues of management and support were key factors hampering the growth of tennis in the country, adding that it was time the stakeholders put their acts together.

“If you don’t have a good management, it doesn’t matter how much you throw into a project, it’s not going to work.

“The second is financial support. This is also very vital to the overall growth of the game.

“But, you must remember that just like Nigerian football ranking in the world has been declining, so has the level of tennis has been long in the doldrums.

“So, it is about time that it resurrects and gradually take an upward swing and I have no doubt that it would,’’ Odizor, who is undoubtedly the country’s most successful tennis player, said.

He said he was confident he could help to take Nigerian tennis to a higher level.

Odizor said was bolstered by the many years of playing and the coaching experience which had seen him traverse the globe, attending courses and conferences.

“The time has come for people like me who have been out of the country for such a long while to give back to the sport.

“With my wealth of experience and international exposure, I have come to know the nitty-gritty of grooming people to hit their peak in tennis.

“My dream is not just to reproduce another `Nduka Odizor’ but to produce the first Nigerian tennis player that will rank amongst the 10 best in the world,’’ he said.

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