The main draws for the 46th edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-sponsored Senior Tennis Open Championships will commence at Package ‘B’ of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Monday, 21 July 2025, with the finals scheduled for Saturday, 26 July 2025, at the same venue.
At the media unveiling of the Championship in Abuja, yesterday, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, the acting director of the Corporate Communications Department at the CBN, announced that preliminary matches would start today.
She highlighted that the championship aims to provide a robust platform for discovering, nurturing, and developing young talents, enabling them to represent the country in international tennis tournaments such as the Davis Cup and the All-Africa Games.
Sidi Ali remarked that over the years, the tournament has served as a vital platform for helping young talents move away from the streets, offering opportunities to channel their energy positively and showcase their abilities.
She expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Tennis Federation, recognising them as long standing partners who have consistently mobilised players and ensured their effective and impressive participation in this annual event. Additionally, she acknowledged the ongoing cooperation and support from the media for their unwavering assistance in promoting the championship. Sidi Ali also emphasised that without spectators, no competition could thrive, and thus expressed her appreciation to members of the public and tennis fans whose presence always adds excitement to the championship.
The 2025 championship is anticipated to feature a variety of categories, including men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and wheelchair categories for both men and women.
According to the schedule, 64 players will compete in the men’s singles, while 32 players will participate in the women’s singles. There will also be 32 doubles teams in both the men’s and women’s categories. In the wheelchair events, there will be 16 players each in Wheelchair Men’s Singles, Wheelchair Men’s Doubles, Wheelchair Women’s Singles, and Wheelchair Women’s Doubles.
Historically, the CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship has produced prominent figures in the sport, including Sunday Maku, David Imonite, Veronica Oyibokia-Iwebema, Christy Agugbom, Sarah Adegoke, Sylvester Emmanuel, Imeh Joseph, Oyinlomo Quadri, and Marylove Edwards, among others. The CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship remains Nigeria’s premier tennis competition and continues to be a crucial selection ground for major continental and global tournaments, such as the Davis Cup and the All-Africa Games.
