By Tomiwa Jagunna
Nigeria is aiming for promotion to Euro Africa Group II as the Davis Cup Africa Group III qualifiers begin in Abuja.
The Davis Cup, often referred to as the World Cup of tennis, presents a significant opportunity for Nigeria to return to mainstream tennis. They will compete against Zimbabwe, Benin, Namibia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana for a World Group II ticket. Three teams have a chance to gain promotion, while two will be relegated, and one will remain in Group III.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the tournament, Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) President Dayo Akindoju assured that everything is in place for a successful event.
“We are set for the Davis Cup tournament. We are ready in all aspects. Security is top-notch, and the players from Nigeria and other participating countries are already here, so we are good to go.”
Akindoju emphasized the importance of the tournament, stating, “We are looking forward to securing one of the promotion spots into Euro Africa Group II, which will allow us to compete against top African and European countries like we used to in the past. The good days are gradually returning, but more needs to be done for us to compete with top nations. I call on Nigerians to support and get involved in areas that can help grow the game.”
National team coach Benson Ishicheli echoed this optimism, highlighting the level of preparation and the quality of players available.
“I am optimistic about our chances because we have put in so much effort preparing for the tournament. The players have been training for over a month, and in the last two weeks, we have had close camping to intensify the training. We are hopeful of securing one of the available promotion spots,” he concluded.
The Nigerian team, led by Coach Benson Ishicheli, includes, Christopher Bulus, Wilson Igbinovia, Daniel Adeleye Michael Emmanuel, and Uche Oparaoji. They will be striving to secure one of the three promotion tickets from the group.
