Players from 60 countries came for Lagos Governor’s Cup Tennis

Lagos is going to experience influx of players from at least 60 countries around the world during this year’s Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship.

The International Tennis Federation, ITF, approved competition which enters its 15th edition this year, will be held from 5-19 December at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

A check on the website of the ITF Monday shows that the Governor’s Cup is going to have a record entries with the players registered cutting across all the continents of the world.

The players are waiting anxiously for the serve off day of the tournament which will run for two weeks, Futures 3 and 4 in the city of Lagos.

Europe tops the list with 34 countries presenting players. The European nations include The Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Serbia, France, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Italy, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Great Britain, Liechtenstein, Norway, Belgium, Croatia and Slovenia.

Others are Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Belarus, Romania, Portugal, Montenegro, Bolivia, Moldova, New Zealand and Greece.

Players will be coming from 13 African countries which include the host, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Benin, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Botswana, Liberia and Zambia.

Seven countries from Asia are participating. They are Turkey, India, China, Pakistan, Japan, Israel and Tajikistan. Three South American nations will also have their players in the Lagos tournament. These countries are Brazil, Argentina and Panama.

USA and Canada will represent North America, while some players will also come from Australia.

The Governor’s Cup is an ITF Pro Circuit competition with a total prize money 80,000 dollars out of which the men get 30,000 dollars while the women winners in the two legs pocket 50,000 dollars.

The Governor’s Cup has been sponsored over the years by FCMB and Etisalat Nigeria and others such as Deux Projects Ltd, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, CCECC, Julius Berger Plc, Naston Ltd, LASACO Plc. and a host of other private individuals.

Support is also being received from the host state, Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Sports Commission and in particular this year from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who, in his magnanimity, swiftly agreed to sustain the international tournament.

Source: PM News