The national wheelchair tennis team yesterday left Accra for Nairobi, Kenya, for the 2018 International Tennis Federation (ITF) PNB Paribas World Team qualifiers. The championship, which starts tomorrow and ends on February 19, will see teams from Uganda, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and hosts Kenya do battle for laurels.

The players, Samadu Abdulahi and Vida Antwi as well as trainer Samuel Appiah will join Francis Boateng and Bridget Nartey, who left last Saturday to participate in the 2018 Nairobi Open, an ITF Wheelchair Tennis Futures Tournament organized by the Kenya Tennis Association.

The players, who started training at the tennis arena of the Accra Sports Stadium two weeks ago prior to their departure will compete in the men and women’s singles and doubles events at the five-day competition.

Ahead of the team’s departure, Coach Samuel Appiah told the Tennisgh.com the team was in high spirits and were looking forward to sparkle at the championships.

According to the coordinator of the Ghana Wheelchair Association, Henry Larbi, funding was the major challenge facing his outfit but expressed hope that the team will excel in their endeavors.

This is the third time Ghana is participating in the championship. The BNP Paribas World Team Cup is the wheelchair tennis equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup. There are divisions for men, women. The event supported by the Cruyff Foundation.