Nigeria Tennis Federation Opens Camp for 2024 Davis Cup.
The Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) has announced the official opening of its camp for Nigerian players participating in the 2024 Davis Cup. This information was disclosed by the NTF Secretary-General, Shammah Makpa, during an interview in Abuja.
The Davis Cup, which is an Africa Group III qualifying round, is scheduled to take place from July 15 to 20 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Makpa highlighted the federation’s extensive preparations for hosting the event. “This is our first time hosting the event in Abuja, and the NTF has been preparing for this assignment from the very beginning up to this moment. We will make sure that everything goes according to plan for a successful hosting experience of the competition,” he said.
He further explained that the preparations involve two main components: ensuring that the facilities and equipment are in optimal condition, and preparing the Nigerian players for the competition.
“The Nigeria team has been arriving in camp since July 1, which was the official date for the commencement of preparation. We have between six and eight players in the camp, of whom only five will actually represent Nigeria. Nevertheless, we are doing well, and we are confident that with God everything will go according to plan for a hitch-free qualification,” Makpa stated.
Among the players in camp are David Ekpenyong, Daniel Adeleye, Uche Oparaojie, Michael Emmanuel, and Christopher Bulus. Many of these players have significant experience, having competed in the 2023 Davis Cup Africa Group IV qualifying rounds in Kigali, Rwanda.
Makpa expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities, noting their previous performances. “Based on their experiences, they performed very well in 2023 and won the majority of their games, which led to the country’s qualification and promotion to Group III alongside Ghana. The players will be able to represent Nigeria with pride because they are already in good shape and are fully prepared.”
In conclusion, Makpa assured that with the support of the NTF board, Nigeria would host a memorable and successful Davis Cup tournament.