The Secretary General of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Shammah Makpa, has said the federation’s target is to develop and set a world-stage record for players.

Mr Makpa disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of the just concluded International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour Junior J30 in Abuja.

He said that the competition was a component of the federation’s long-term plan for the development of players.

He stated, “It serves as a means of providing a stage on which young players can showcase their abilities before we choose the best among them. The selected ones in the future would take over from the aging ones. Prospective players that performed exceptionally during this tournament will be eligible to compete in future competitions,” he said.

Mr Mapka said that having the competition in Nigeria saved the federation from sourcing money to sponsor players for competitions abroad.

He said, “By holding the tournament here, we were able to accommodate more than 30 to 60 Nigerian players that chose to participate in the competition. This kind of competition can only accept a maximum of six players if it is held outside Nigeria.”

The Junior International Tennis Federation event is a flagship tournament to help junior players gain global rankings and points.

The ITF World Tennis Tour Junior J30, which started on June 5, ended on Sunday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

(NAN)