By Okeke Chinwe
Fourteen Million Naira will be up for grabs in this year’s Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Open Tennis tournament which will serve off June 16 through 25 at the tennis courts of the National Stadium, Surelere, Lagos.

Speaking at the pre-tournament press briefing in Lagos Tuesday Acting Director Corporate Communications, Central Bank of Nigeria, Isaac Okorafor said, “as it was in the 2015 edition, the prize money for the winners in the men and ladies categories is N700,000 while the runners up will get N500,000 and third placed players take home N250,000.”

Okorafor who spoke through a director in the CBN, Sintiki Thaanda reaffirmed the apex bank’s commitment to the continuous sponsorship of the event.

There will also be the wheelchair tennis category where winners in both male and female categories will get N250,000. There are also prizes for the men’s and women’s doubles.

Responding, President of the Nigerian Tennis Federation, Engineer Sani Ndanusa expressed joy that the CBN Open which is in it’s 38th edition has provided opportunity for thousands of youths to play tennis.

Ndanusa who was represented by the NTF Vice President, Comrade Yemi Owoseni announced that junior players who are ranked by the International Tennis Federation will be given wild cards to participate in the tournament. Those that excel will be selected in the male category for camping ahead of  the next Davies Cup next month in Madagascar.