Russian-born Nigerian tennis star, Mellissa Ifidzhen is scheduled to arrive Lagos today for the 15th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship which will hold from 5th-19 December at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.
The reigning Central Bank of Nigeria Open Women Singles champion will be making her debut in the $80,000 prize-money event which will see players from about 30 countries across the world battling for honours.
Secretary-General of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Gloria Ekwempu-Chinwuoko informed on Tuesday that the former Russian Junior champion, who won silver at the last All Africa Games in Congo, Brazaville has confirmed her participation at the two weeks-long tournament which has been identified as a leading top-grade event on the continent by the International Tennis Federation.
The Governor’s Cup has served as a springboard to the successful careers of some global tennis stars notably among is Indian Sania Mirza, who won the tournaments two legs in 2004, a year after she turned professional.
She is the reigning Wimbledon and US Open women’s doubles champion having paired Swiss Martina Hingis to win the two grand slams this year.
Meanwhile, the NTF has revealed that it has reached an advanced stage in sending Angel Mcleod to the ITF High Performance Centre in Morocco.
The 13-year-old national junior champion has been in the cold as a result of the death of her mum, Beauty, who was killed by a mobile policeman in Lagos in October.
NTF President, Engr. Sani Ndanusa told the media that the federation is about to conclude arrangements with the ITF to see her shift her base to the north African country in order to help her achieve her dream in tennis after losing her mum in a pitiable circumstances.
“I’m looking forward to going there (Morocco) to play tennis. My mum’s dream has always been for me to play tennis and become a star and I believe I can make that dream come true by going to a place like Morocco to develop my career,” Angel, who until last year was based in Dubai, said.
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