NCC’s N11m tennis tourney debuts in May

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced its sponsorship of a yearly Tennis Championship, tagged this year as ‘NCC Tennis Cup.’

The event, which is scheduled to take off in May, will see the telecommunications regulator staking N11 million for winners in the different categories of the competition, which is expected to feature eight teams in the maiden edition.

To be managed by the International Tennis Academy (ITA) and sanctioned by the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), the tournament, according to NCC Vice Chairman, Eugene Juwah, the is a team competition open to everybody, including the best players in the country.

“Our venture into this sponsorship is our modest contribution towards the engagement of the Nigerian youths through sports. As this competition is not only limited to the youth, it is also our own way of encouraging those who are either engaged in the sport or are enthusiastic about the game,” the NCC boss said.

Juwah, represented by Director, Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, added: “It is also our contribution towards positive engagement of players from various parts of the country to compete among themselves as a way of sharpening their skills for greater accomplishment, even in the international arena.”

He assured that the tournament would not be a one-off event, as plans are in place to make it a permanent competition in the calendar of NTF.