Obed Sarpong

South Africa is scheduled to host an ATP tennis tournament called the South African Airways ATP Ranking. You can expect the best current tennis players in the world to be present at the tournament. Anyone with a good memory would remember and relish how the Golden Rackets thrilled us all with a great display at the Accra Sports stadium tennis courts in the past. Names like Frank Ofori, Isaac Donkor and quite recently Henry Adjei-Darko were on the lips of every Ghanaian.

But foot-dragging by the ministry of Education, Science and Sports is virtually killing the sport. It is this same attitude that drove Adjei-Darko out of the sport some months ago. Arguably, he is Ghana's brightest hope of having a Ghanaian play in the grand slams or the ATPs.

The Ghana Tennis Association is bereft of funds to run tennis programmes. In modern tennis, tournaments and tennis clinics are sponsored by corporate bodies and not governments, but if we are to make headway in the sport, and if we are to revive the tennis spirit that put Ghana on the international scene, the administrators at the sports ministry must stop the 'pull-him down' attitude and set their personal interests aside in order to help lift the game once more. It is difficult, but with the right attitude we can make this happen.

Tennis is a sport which is patronised and played by many wealthy people in this country, and I can name a long list. These people must see to it that the sport does not die, at least, among the youth.

The Accra Lawn Tennis Club is an example. Young players troop to this local club at Osu everyday to play or be ball boy for the wealthy members. There is no doubt of the capabilities of these lads aged between 10 and 17 years. Their talent is enormous.

But what is happening to Ghana's tennis future stars? An occasional 3-day tournament over a 6 month - period, or a match between two of the best for the members to enjoy is all that happens to these kids.

Tennis is a sport that deserves attention and nurturing of the talent and blunt skill of the player by a good knowledgeable coach. We do not have to bring a foreigner to perform this task. We have competent coaches in the country of proven standing. Coaches David Churcher, Noah Bagerbaseh, Tony Dove, Isaac Lartey are all here and they are just a small sampling of the best material we have got in world class tennis coaching.

So what are we waiting for? I believe if it were football, corporate bodies would beg to be listed as sponsors. And business wise, tennis gives huge proceeds after a company advertises.

A tennis centre court of about 20,000 capacity is all we need to set the ball rolling. And even that is not a prerequisite. We have left at the Accra sports stadium three or four hard courts under construction and nine clay courts at the Accra Lawn Tennis Club. Training programmes for these boys could start at full steam.

We must save this sport.

Obed Sarpong