By Isaiah Eka

The Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Owan Enoh, has pledged to continue to support sports development in Cross River.

The minister stated this on Saturday at the grand finale of the second edition of the Renewed Hope and People First National Tennis Open in Calabar.

The tournament sponsored by Enoh, the immediate past Minister of Sports Development drew top players from across Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highly entertaining final took place at the hard court of the Calabar Sports Club 1898.

John Nubari and Rebecca Ekpenyong stole the show at the hotly contested  finals in the men’s and women’s category respectively.

Nubari pipped Maxwell Timiprie, while Ekpenyong defeated Aliyah Precious to smile home with cash prizes, gifts and trophies.

The highly enthusiastic crowd had a lot to cheer as the hard hitting dueling players displayed their mastery of the game with powerful drives and wonderful backhand strokes executed with utmost precision.

The pulsating games tested the technical depth  and calculations of the players who spoke with their rackets in a bid to outwit their stubborn opponents.

NAN reports that the tournament is  staged annually to promote the growth and development of tennis in Cross River and Nigeria as a whole .

The focus is for players in the state to have the needed exposure to excell in the sports of tennis while fostering the spirit of unity and sportsmanship amongst Nigerians and sports lovers.

Enoh said that the tournament not only celebrates excellence, but reinforces the importance of industry, tourism, and sports as catalysts for socioeconomic development.

He said although he was no longer Minister of  Sports, he will continue to support the growth and development of Tennis and sports in Cross River his home state.

‘I will continue to give young Cross Riverians who show excellence and hard work, the platform to excel right to the Zenith  of tennis and football,” Enoh said.

The minister restated his commitment to increasing the prize money in subsequent editions of the tournament.

He also used the opportunity to announce plans for a football talent hunt across Cross River in early 2025, in order to ‘catch them young’.

” This is a clarion call to Cross Riverians ,that there is an opportunity and early support for those who show seriousness to excell in tennis and football.

“I am ready and willing to give the needed support”, he added.

Enoh appreciated the efforts of Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River for his passion towards sports development in the state and incorporating the tennis tournament into the grand annual Calabar Festival.

Earlier, Gov. Bassey Otu, represented by the Commissioner for Sports, Agnes Atsu lauded the initiative and committed to working with the talents from the tournament to elevate the state in tennis.

NAN reports that the second edition of the tennis tournament saw an array of ranked tennis players in Nigeria, including, female Nigeria no.7 Rebecca Ekpenyong, no. 11, Timiprie Maxwell and Amarachi Odoh ,Nigeria no. 24.

The high point of the tournament was the presentation of cash prizes, gifts and trophies to players and coaches.

The overall male and female winners smiled home with N350,000 each, while first runner up male and female got N250, 000 each

Semi finalists in the male and female categories got N150,000 each, while quarter finalists earned N100,000 each, with first round participants getting N50,000 each.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh