Lagos — Support for tennis must have to be intensified if the gap between Nduka Odizori's era and now is to be closed.

Captain of FHA tennis club hosts of the on-going ACT tennis championship, Okey Ugbuaja made the submission Wednesday, while making an assessment of the game over the years.

He noted that the dearth of tournaments and absence of junior developmentally programme created the lacuna which he said will be hard to fill.

Although the nation has a lot of talents from where scores of champions can be produced, more sponsors have to come into the business even as he insisted the administrators of the game must put a workable plan in place.

"There has been absence of well structured plan for the development of the game in the country, since Odizor featured at the Wimbledon, it has been downward trend, even the Davis Cup is posing a problem for us. That shouldn't be because I believe we have the talent but we need a good plan in the hands of good managers with strong desire to deliver," he said.

Ugboaja who confirmed that over 150 players are taking part in the on-going ACT tennis tourney said although the number is high, it has not put pressure on facilities on ground, adding that programmes can always be adjusted to give as many players of possible opportunity to show case their skill.

"We see it as our own little contribution to the development of tennis in the country. Right now there are few tournaments so the little that are available must be made to provide opportunity for players to express themselves," he said.