Foreign players seek wildcards for Lagos governor’s Tennis Cup

The increase in prize money for this edition of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship is already having effect on the qualification of players to feature in the Main Draws of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), approved competition.

No doubt, players will be fighting to win the $100,000 total prize money packaged for the two-leg competition scheduled to take place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan from October 8 to 22.

The competition has a breakdown of $50,000 for both male and female categories.Before now, the men’s singles winners earned $30,000, while their female counterparts earned $50,000. However, with the increase in the prize money for the men in this year’s edition, the competition’s standard has increased and will continue to attract quality more players than the previous editions.

According to the organisers, some players, who are willing to come to Lagos, but may not be able to feature in the Main Draws, are asking for wildcards. Some of them have written to the Local Organising Committee (LOC), asking for waiver.

A German player, who the organisers would not want to disclose his identity, wrote in an email: “I am a tennis player from Germany and I would love to play your two ITF tournaments in October in Lagos. I wanted to play them last year, but sadly I got a bad shoulder injury in the middle of the year, and I needed surgery, so I was not able to play tennis for a while.

“My ranking last year before the injury was 594 WTA and I was on my way to getting even better one. However, since I was not able to play since this time, I lost almost all my ranking and I am right now only number 987 WTA.

“So, I want to kindly ask you, if there may be any possibility for you to get for me a Main Draw wildcard for your tournament. Since it is going to be the first tournament I am playing after my injury break, and the first tournament on my way to come back. I would be so happy. I already want to say thank you for everything. I hope to here from you soon and hope to see you soon in Lagos at your tournament. I am very excited.”

Tournament Director, Prince Wale Oladunjoye said: “I’m not surprised that the prize money we jacked up will enhance the quality and standard of the competition. We will be glad to have more high ranked players coming to Lagos to play in the Governor’s Cup. This is a good development.”