The Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, has officially declared the 2024 Davis Cup Africa Group III qualification rounds open in Abuja.
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men’s tennis, and Nigeria is hosting the qualification tournament for promotion into Africa Group II.
In his address, Mr Enoh highlighted the significance of tennis in Nigeria, noting that it is one of the fastest-growing sports in Africa. He urged Team Nigeria to seize the opportunity and secure promotion to Euro Africa Group II.
“I urge the athletes to seize this opportunity with both hands. I am rooting for Nigerian athletes to secure promotion to the next stage. The country is behind them, and we are hosting to win,” Mr Enoh was quoted in a press statement signed by Diana-Mary Nsan Special Assistant Media to the Minister.
Earlier, the President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Dayo Akindoju, welcomed all participants to Nigeria, assuring them of the country’s hospitality throughout the tournament.
He also commended the minister for his dedication to being present at the opening ceremony, noting its significance for the sport.
More encouragement
Former President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Sani Ndanusa, also attended the opening ceremony. He encouraged the athletes to strive for the promotion spot and praised their performances thus far.
“I am highly impressed with what I have seen so far. I believe Nigeria can come out on top, but the players must work hard and not take anything for granted,” he concluded.
The Davis Cup is administered by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The Africa Group III Qualification Rounds, hosted by the Nigerian Tennis Federation, provide an opportunity for three nations to advance to Africa Group II and contest on a higher scale. Nigeria, having been locked in Group IV for a long time until last year when it got promoted to Group III, now aims to progress to Group II.
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All six nations—Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and the Benin Republic—will compete against each other in a round-robin format. The competition promises thrilling matches and a chance for nations to move up the classification.
The minister assured the six participating countries of warm hospitality and wished them a successful tournament.
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