The 2nd Rainoil Tennis Championship served off at the weekend at the Ikoyi Club with qualifying matches featuring over 60 players while battle to earn places in the main draw begins on Monday, November
12.
At the weekend, over 100 players from various parts of the country signed in for the eight-day tournament which will have ITF Bronze-badge referee, Saidu Musa as the head of technical official.
He hinted that more players will sign in when almost all the players would have arrived.
“This is one of the tournaments that the players always look ahead to because of the quality of the facilities at the venue. The officials are ready and we expect a great tournament,” Musa, who was also in charge at the last edition,
said.
The tournament which started as a master tournament four years ago with top eight players in the men and women category has metamorphosed to one of the biggest on the domestic stage with champions in the men and women’s singles pocketing N500, 000 and 400, 000 respectively.
It would also feature women’s doubles which was not included last year when it was held at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja – a clay facility.
According to the Group Managing Director of Rainoil, Mr Gabriel Ogbechie, the tournament is expected to feature more top quality players hence the need to make it open.
Ogbeche, an ardent tennis follower, hinted that Rainoil are very passionate about tennis hence their support which has hit over a decade.
He stated: “The previous format of Tennis Masters was restrictive. It was meant for only the top eight male and top eight female players on the Nigeria Tennis Federation
ranking.
“But since last year we decided to open it up. This year we are expecting the top 64 male players as well as the top 32 female players on the NTF ranking to take part in it.”
Henry Atseye and Sarah Adegoke are the men and women’s title holders.
