Nigeria’s wheelchair tennis coach, Frank Tarmena has declared that the country needs better equipment more facilities and modern infrastructure to accord players in the event to excel internationally.
Sports247.ng reports that the Benue State-born instructor, who is also the development officer for wheelchair tennis in West Africa, also wants more attention for the sport.
Although Tarmena said he is happy that wheelchair has been introduced to Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana and Cameroon, through support of the global body, International Tennis Federation (ITF), he is sad with poor funding of the event, especially preparation for major championships.
Nigeria has participated in two Paralympics – Beijing 2008 and London 2012 – as well as World Cups in Korea, Great Britain and Turkey, but Tarmena says a lot more needs to be done.
The pioneer coach of wheelchair tennis in Nigeria stressed that the performance of the nation’s players is always hampered by lack of standard wheelchairs.
Tarmena added: “We cannot compare our equipment with the likes you have in Kenya, South Africa, U.S. or the U.K. where everything is top notch that gives the wheelchair tennis player the opportunity to be a world beater.
“To develop more talents we need to restructure our dilapidated courts and produce the kind of players that can stand anywhere in the world.’’
