Squash Classics: Mailafia, Mabadeje applaud organisers

By Aderonke Ojediran

Yakubu Mailafia, the Vice President, Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF), on Saturday applauded the dedication and consistency of Lagos State towards the development and promotion of squash in Nigeria.

He gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Hall at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere.

Mailafia, a Chief Superintendent of Police, told NAN that since that last Squash Classics in 2018, there had been significant improvement from the previous edition.

“Compared to the last edition, this is a step ahead, the number of foreign participants also increases, the standard of play has changed and we have so many of our players getting to quarter-finals which was not the case in the last edition.

“There is a great improvement, it’s our desire that we will have more of this tournament; the organisers have consistently kept it going which is applaudable,’’ he said.

He also observed that there was need to get the players acquainted with the use of the glass court, to be at par with their foreign counterparts.

“Squash doesn’t have sponsorship, unlike the other nations; it’s a different feel when one is playing on the glass court, our players are used to playing on the wall, in spite of that they gave good account of themselves,’’ he said.

The Lagos Squash Classics was put together by the Lagos State Squash Association, led by Tomi Falase, in partnership with Premier Lotto (Baba Ijebu).

Sharing same view was Adebiyi Mabadeje, the Chairman Old Trafford Squash Club, who commended the effort of the players for making it to the quarter-finals.

“Top level squash, our boys and girls have also done us proud getting to the quarter-finals; to improve their playing skill, we need to have more tournaments.

“We need to have more of this high-level tournament locally and if we can get them to play on the tour around Africa, our top player lost to the top seeded player of the tournament.

“I’m sure that if we do this regularly, we will get there,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the event, which served-off at the Sir Omolade Okoya-Thomas from May 9 to May 13, has $18,000 dollars up for grabs in the men and women categories.

(NAN)