Kumasi, April 23, GNA - The third edition of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) tennis Open, dubbed "The Vice-Chancellor's Cup" commenced on Saturday at the Senior Staff Club tennis court of the University in Kumasi.

The three-day tournament which has at stake the giant Vice-Chancellor's Cup and cash prizes, is being sponsored by Ecobank in collaboration with the Department of Sports and Exercise Science of KNUST.

About 100 participants from the KNUST, University of Ghana (UG), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Education, Winneba and the Ghana Tennis Association are contesting for honours in the men's and women's singles and men's and women's doubles.

In an opening address, Professor Kwesi Andam, Vice-chancellor of KNUST who initiated the tournament two years ago, called for a concerted effort to heighten the game of tennis to an appreciable level to better prepare Ghanaian players for international tournaments.

"Stakeholders and the tennis fraternity must commit resources to providing modest facilities so as to sustain the necessary interest in the sports", he said.

Prof Andam announced that the University in its humble way had begun the construction of three new courts in addition to the existing two to allow for the organisation of successful tournaments.

In the opening match, David Bonna of Accra Secondary/Technical School and a member of the Ghana Tennis Association caused the biggest sensation of the tournament when he accounted for Frank De Souza of UG and the tournament's top seed 6-3 and 6-2 in the men's singles to advance to the third round of the 64 draw.