The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, has called on the six countries participating in Group III of the Davis Cup African region to compete in an atmosphere of friendship, saying sports should promote unity among countries in Africa and around the world.
In his address, the minister said he was looking forward to the near future, when Nigerian players will compete in the ATP and Grand Slams.
He said: “The Nigerian team has my best wishes. They are hosting to win. They are hosting to win.
“Nigeria has waited for too long to get a set of tennis players that are competitive and that can be part of the ATP, Grand Slam, and all that.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you, the participating countries, in this game. This is the World Cup of Tennis. This is where it begins, just like in football, unarguably Nigeria’s most popular and followed sport.
“The World Cup qualifiers have already started, and we believe that this is the beginning of the World Cup qualifiers for tennis.
“We welcome all of you to our country, a very beloved country. It’s my second or third time here, not just because I’m the minister of sports and therefore in charge of various sports that take place in my country, but also delighted and take my time to watch to some reasonable extent the first match that will take place.
“I believe that this engagement, these qualifiers, this grouping continue to foster friendship among participating countries in the way they compete in the spirit of sportsmanship. At the end of the day, those that will qualify and those who do not will be able to do so at some other time.
“So, I welcome everyone, and I’m here to encourage you. Let’s enjoy the game like sports are meant to be enjoyed. Let’s relate to one another. Let’s change our context.
“Let’s see how this will continue to promote friendship and unity among our countries and the entire world. Therefore, I formally declare this Davis Cup Abuja 2024 Africa Group III open.”
Former Sports Minister and former NTF President, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, urged Nigerian players to aim for the best and show more commitment.
“My message, of course, for them is to keep the eye on the ball because, from the first match I saw, I think we can be on top of the entire tournament, but I think they (Nigeria) are looking very, very good and committed, but they have to do more because other countries came to win too. We’ll keep working, and we’ll keep supporting them.”
NTF President Ifedayo Akindoju welcomed all the players and asked them to enjoy their stay in Nigeria.
Nigeria is hosting Group III of the Davis Cup, tagged Abuja 2024, which will serve as a promotional play-off where three countries get promoted to Group II, one stays in Group III, and two are relegated to Group IV.
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