By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 12, 2026

Nigeria’s promotion to World Group II of the Davis Cup has sparked a renewed sense of ambition among administrators and players, as they aim to climb further in the world’s premier international men’s team tennis competition organised by the International Tennis Federation, The PUNCH reports.

Since Nigeria’s first participation in 1974, the country enjoyed one of its brightest moments in the sport on home soil on Sunday, as Ekiti-born player Daniel Adeleye led Team Nigeria to a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club 1895.

The two-day encounter was tied at 1-1 after Saturday’s opening matches, but Nigeria surged ahead on Sunday with a crucial win in the doubles rubber through Canice Abua and Michael Emmanuel, before Adeleye sealed the tie with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ilya Ignatov, who was making his Davis Cup debut for Uzbekistan.

Following the win, the president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Victor Ochei, described the victory as a sign of greater things to come for the sport in Nigeria.

“This victory is a sign that tennis has come to stay in Nigeria,” Ochei told The PUNCH.

“We are now in World Group II and will be in the next playoff to ensure we move up to World Group I. When you are in World Group I, you are among the elite nations in the Davis Cup, and rest assured, once we get there, we will do our bit.”

Nigeria’s number one player, Adeleye, and his teammate, Abua, also echoed the president’s sentiments.

“We believed in ourselves and worked hard to achieve this win. With the same level of determination and hard work, coupled with the support of Nigerians as witnessed in Lagos, we will get to the top,” Adeleye said.

“They should expect more from us because there are tougher players ahead. The tactics worked for us in the doubles, and we went into the court with a mindset of having nothing to lose. We will definitely do more,” Abua added.

Abua partnered Emmanuel to a 7-6, 6-4 win over Denis Istomin and Khumoyun Sultanov in the decisive doubles match.

Authorities of the National Sports Commission also commended the players, coaches, federation leadership and supporters whose unity made the achievement possible.

“The commission also recognises the wider national team structure and technical leadership that supported this success, including additional squad members and officials who contributed to the preparation and execution of the campaign,” the NSC said in a statement.

“Nigeria’s return to World Group II stands as a powerful signal of renewed progress in tennis development and competitive excellence. It reflects sustained commitment to athlete preparation and institutional support in line with the RHINSE framework.”

Aside from the efforts on the court, the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club 1895 also prides itself on being a world-class venue for tennis events.

“The organisation was Grand Slam-standard, and a lot of effort went into ensuring that we did not disappoint. We are elated as a club because not only did we provide the facility to host this tournament, but the team also did not disappoint,” president of the club, Dr Adeyinka Adewusi, said.

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 12, 2026

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