Nigeria’s Top 8 Stars for Lagos Tennis Cup 

Lagos is set to host the best tennis players in Nigeria once again as the second edition of the Lagos Tennis Cup is scheduled to serve off from September 27 to October 02 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

The tournament will feature the top eight men and women’s players in the country, as ranked by the Nigerian Tennis Federation, including defending men’s champion, Uche Oparaoji, who is currently ranked 6th, and women’s champion and top seed Marylove Edwards.

The Lagos Tennis Cup, which debuted in 2021 at the same venue, is part of a new addition to the national tennis calendar called the Nigerian Tennis Majors, and which also includes the Abuja Tennis Cup. 

The champions in both categories will earn N500,000 each, while the runners-up will get N250,000. Each player is to receive N50,000 to help with welfare, while a stage one exit earns a player an additional N50,000.

The tournament is to start with a group stage format that would see each category divided into two groups of four players. The top two players after a round-robin would clash with the runners-up of the other group in the semi-finals, with the victors playing in the final.

Speaking about the tournament, Managing Director of the Tennis Management Company Limited (TMCL), organisers of the event, Kenneth Ezaga, stated that fans and the sports community should expect a more robust tournament this year.

“We are building a sports property that will compete with the very best on the continent. It will take some time to reach our goal, but with every tournament it gets a bit better and a bit easier.” Ezaga said. 

He describes tennis as a hugely popular sport in the country.

“Tennis in Nigeria was hugely popular and we are hoping that with the Lagos Tennis Cup and the Abuja Tennis Cup we can create a platform to discover and inspire the next Nduka Odizor,” he concluded.

This year, the tournament will feature a Kids Day on October 1st with over 25 young players receiving coaching tips and having a chance to play with the top players.