Bring back PH Open , Maku tells NTF

 




     Coach Sumbo Maku 












China based Nigeria tennis coach Sumbo Maku has called on the Nigeria tennis federation to revamp  the Portharcourt open tennis Championship from the doldrums.



Sumbo Maku who is a younger sibling to former Nigerian number one tennis player Sunday Maku made the call in an exclusive interview with Barry Global news in Portharcourt.


The Portharcourt national open tennis Championship was staged in Rivers State over two decades ago  and since the demise of the sponsor , Former speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly RT Honourable Tonye Harry, the tournament has remained in the state of comatose.



   Coach Maku coaching his student on clay 

In China





And Sumbo Maku who is an ITF certified coach said the time has come for the Nigeria tennis federation revived back the championship to live.



According to him, bringing back the tournament will help to put the sport of tennis on stream among top ranked tennis players in the country and also boost the economy of Rivers State .


" The Portharcourt open used to be one of the major opens  on the calendar on the Nigeria tennis federation and the NTF can't just allow the tournament to die "said the China based tennis coach.


Speaking on how the sport is run in China, Sumbo Maku pointed out that the game of tennis is well structured in China where children within the ages of three to four years are exposed to the game in order to catch them young which enables the Asian country to produce great talents year in , year out 



   Coach Maku playing on the center court of Portharcourt club 1928 tennis section 








He added that China also has  multiple tennis courts both indoors and outdoors which helps to facilitate the development of the game.


Sumbo Maku who hails from Ogun state stressed the need for Nigeria to borrow a leaf from the template of China and establish more tennis court across the country and sponsor more opens for Nigeria tennis players.



This he said will boost the growth of the sport and enable the country to produce great players that will compete in the grandslam in the nearest future.

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