Top Nigerian tennis players are billed to feature at the 2022 Rainoil Tennis Open, which serves off December 12 and ends December 18 at Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos, The PUNCH reports.
The 12th edition of the tournament is themed ‘Level Up Your Game’ and is co-sponsored by Stanbic IBTC Bank and will feature 144 players at the six-day tourney.
The event will have 64 players feature in the men’s singles and 32 players in the women’s singles, while 32 players will lock horns in the men’s doubles, just as 16 players jostle for honours in the women’s doubles.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, the Group Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, Gabriel Ogbechie, said this year’s edition of the tournament is the biggest ever, as the winner of the men’s event will receive N1.5m, while the women’s winner will earn N1.5m.
“The top tennis players in the world are young boys and girls in their teenage years, and they are making waves all around the world,” Ogbechie said.
“To this end, Rainoil Limited is deliberate about giving the young ones opportunities to play tennis, and the total prize money for this year’s edition has been increased to N13m.
“This annual tournament is one of many ways Rainoil Limited has contributed to society and I hope that the tournament will produce a top tennis player in the near future.”
Ogbechie added that Rainoil was keen on supporting young people whose tennis careers looked promising, saying it would further strengthen tennis in Nigeria.
The Players Representative of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Sunday Essien, commended Rainoil for its support for the game and urged more corporate organisations to emulate them.
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