Nigeria’s wheelchair tennis team will start their defence of the African title in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday with tickets for the 2013 World Team Cup up for grabs.
Nigeria’s quartet of Wasiu Yusuf, Jude Uwaize, Remi Basanya and Foluke Shittu left Lagos on Thursday with promise to sweep the top prizes at the four-day championship which runs from January 17 to 21.
Two-time Paralympian, Yusuf, is the top seed for the men’s draw having also spearheaded Nigeria’s title-winning outing at the East African country in 2012.
Basanya and Shittu will be making their debut on the international stage and coach Frank Tarmena reckons that they will face a stiff competition from South Africa who have been dominating the stage.
“The experience of our players as well as their exposure will give us the edge particularly after our satisfactory outing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games,” Tarmena said, adding that the rigorous training the team went through in the 12-day camping would help them perform well.
Twelve countries will feature in the tournament with the winners having the tickets to represent Africa in the 2013 World Team Cup in Italy.