It is no longer news that the biggest annual tennis tournament held in Lagos, Nigeria is returning this October with huge sponsorship from Heineken. For those who don’t know, the Lagos Open, as it is now called, is in its 19th edition and would be held from the 7th to the 20th of October, 2019 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos.
The games have been known to attract a lot of media attention and tourists to Lagos, and with Heineken’s sponsorship this year, everyone expects it to be even bigger. For us, we are really excited about this tournament and here is why.
We Want To Host And Win: Yes, that isn’t too much to ask for. The only time Nigeria has had a really good showing at the competition was in 2014, when only African athletes were allowed to contest. We won in the men’s singles and placed second in the women’s singles. This year, there are top names from Japan, France, Italy, even our African brothers Zimbabwe, and it would be a major boost for our tennis federation if any of the players from our continent can win top prize at this year’s event. Who knows, they might even get more accolades from the Lagos State Government or the Ministry of Sports.
The $100,000 Total Prize Money And A Career Title: Whoever wins in any of the categories will go home with a $25,000 cash award along with champion bragging rights, and that’s a huge deal. Already, the organisers are making moves to improve the Lagos Open from a Futures tournament to a Challenger series, and this will mean that athletes get a whole lot more from participating in the tournament, including points to move them up in their ATP Rankings.
The Heineken Experience: Everyone knows Heineken has a brilliant way of entertaining sports fans and we can’t wait to see what they do at the 2019 Lagos Open. Earlier this year, they had multiple activations for the UEFA Champions League here in Nigeria, with special match viewings, and parties at the Heineken House in Lagos. Given their experience in hosting other tennis tournaments across the world, we are looking forward to the excitement they bring on for the Lagos Open and know it will be thrilling as well.
The Tourist Opportunity: Lagos will be playing hosts to athletes from the USA, France, Canada, Austria, Ukraine, India, Italy, Japan, Brazil, and a lot more. Tournaments like this one provide an opportunity for athletes to experience different cultures, and we are hoping that they enjoy their time here and feel some of that Naija vibe.
With the preparation that has gone into this 2-week event, we are hopeful that both fans and athletes will have an enjoyable moment here in Lagos.