Sports
Unseeded Player Stuns Champion At Tennis Tourney
Ukrainian Danylo Kalenichenko,at the weekend in Abuja, defeated tournament’s first seed and defending champion, Maximilian Neuchrist of Australia, 6 (4)-7 7-6 (1) 6-4 in their quarter-finals game.
Unseeded Kalenichenko, who was eliminated from the tournament in 2018 by Neuchrist, battled hard in the first set but succumbed to his opponent’s superior firepower and hard service.
Tournament favourite Neuchrist was blown away in the beginning of the second set but fought his way through before Kalenichenko managed to take the set 7-6 (1) to force the game into a third set.
Having dragged the game into a third set, there was no doubt as to who would take the decider, as Kalenichenko dominated a physically strained Neuchrist to claim the set 6-4.
Neuchrist told newsmen shortly after the 2hour 34 minutes game that his poor fitness contributed to the stunning defeat.
“I am injured and can’t play well since last week. There is a small tear in my calf muscle that was why I could not make many fast moves.
‘’But I felt I could rely on my biggest weapon, which is my serve.
“It was what took me that far in the game. I think I’ll pull out of next week’s (GSL Open) tournament to take care of myself,” he said.
On the game itself, Neuchrist said Kalenichenko’s bravery won him the tie.
“Yes, it was a great match and I tried to do everything I can to break my opponent’s rhythm. I give him credit for his bravery.
“He almost panicked in the beginning of the match like many of my previous opponents but in the end, he kept a cool head.
“In the second set, I had a chance to break but he played through his mistakes and got the needed points,” he said.
Kalenichenko, who had a 100 per cent service game winning ratio, said he would try not to be put under pressure for defeating the defending champion at the quarter-finals.
“I don’t feel any pressure, as I’m enjoying my tennis at the moment. The playing condition is tough here and it’s not my ideal condition but I’m fighting for every shot and every game.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.