Ranked #128 in world senior table tennis ranking, Ivorian Oba Kizito Oba is embracing the peculiarities of Nigeria as a country after arriving as one of the participants in the ongoing WTT Contender Lagos 2023 as he hails the fans massive support to African tennis players competing in the championship.
The dominant right hand tennis player who picked up his first win in the opening day of the WTT Contender Lagos 2023 where he dispatched Nigerian Olayinka Oladipupo in three sets (8-11, 7-11-8-11) at the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall Lagos, Nigeria allayed that despite the victory against one of their own to send him out of the competition, the fans still kept cheering him on in every of his games since that time.
“I am very happy to be playing here in Nigeria, the atmosphere and the culture is very different from where I’m coming from but I like it and it has been a good ride for me in the tournament so far and I wish to continue on this good run.”
“For every games, I desire to win, I take each game at a time not disrespecting my opponent because I came here for a sole purpose, and it’s what I pursue as every contenders have a privilege to fight till the very end, so everyone are competing against each other, each unique in their own ways, skillsets and techniques of the game.”
“Nigeria has organized many world class tennis tournaments previously and having the World Table Tennis contender tournament in Lagos is a good move, the organization and the structure has been one of the best so far.”
“It is good to see many players from different parts of the world come together for such a prestigious tournament as this, I expect to have a good outing.”
On fans chanting his name during his games and any young tennis player in his home country looking up to him as a role model –“It’s so unbelievable that so many young table tennis players are looking up to me despite the numbers of talents in the country itself, I won’t let them down and I will encourage them to give their best to whatever path they have chosen in life, that’s how to make it.”
The fans overwhelming support – “I want them to keep supporting me, their love has been so massive since the first day I stepped into the court for my first game, I implore them not to relent and for my fans back in Coted’ Ivoire, let them keep supporting me and I will make them proud,” he assured.
