Tennis : CBN Dangle  N1m Prize  For Winners.

By Olayinka Elebute And Oluwole Francis

Central Bank of Nigeria CBN has up the singles money for this year’s senior tennis championship to N1million in the men’s and ladies categories holding at the tennis courts of the MKO Abiola Stadium from May 20 to 29.

President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation NTF, Engineer Dayo Akindoju said the money was up from N700,000 paid last year to N1million to enhance competitiveness among the players.

The first runner’s up in both categories will earn N350,000 each, the semifinalists will get a sum of N200,000 while the quarterfinalist will go home with N100,000 each.

For the Wheelchair players, the men’s and ladies singles winners will get N250,000 each, runner’s up N200,000, semifinalists N150,000 while the quarterfinalists will go home with N100,000 each.

The NTF boss disclosed that the semifinalists in the CBN tourney will be registered to represent the country at the Davis Cup competition and the Billy Jean Fed Cup for female holding for the first time.

He added that the players will also converge in Lagos for another new tournament for the best four in CBN in the male and female categories to shapen up for the Davis Cup in Congo Brazaville and Fed Cup in Lithunia.

He explained the Lagos tournament will dovetail into a the preparation for the Davis Cup and Fed Cup championships.

Akindoju thanked CBN for the support that has spanned 43 years adding that the NTF would harness the talents discovered during the tournament to achieve results at international competitions.

Also speaking during the press conference in Abuja, the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi while representing the Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele said that the championship has over the years served as a good platform in removing Nigerian youths from the streets and discovered those that have gone ahead to represent the country at international competitions.

He said the apex bank going by the talent discovered will be more delighted to continue with the tournament.