Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about
tennis. From my childhood days at the KNUST library—where I’d swap books for a racket to play with my brother Kofi and friends from Tech Campus—to watching my favorite tennis players win, I have always been a big tennis fan. Recently, I visited my cousin Nana Adwoa. Her husband was watching some tennis on DSTV and I struck up a conversation about tennis. Turns out he goes all the way to play tennis at the Accra Sports Stadium and is very much involved in the sport #inGhana.
Tennis has always been a part of my #MightyAfrican identity. But as an analyst and a strategist, I have to be honest: the state of tennis in Ghana needs #MoreVim. We have the talent, but do we have the system? To build a powerhouse, we have to look at the game from the ground up—from the primary school playground to the ATP and WTA circuits.
From Kumasi to Cambridge & Stanford: My Tennis Roots
My journey with tennis started in the heart of Kumasi, on the KNUST campus. While I was often found in the university library devouring sports trivia, that same hunger for the game led me to the court. I wasn't the most gifted player—my friends had more natural skill—but I loved the tactical mechanics. I was the kid studying the physics of a serve and the psychology of a tie-break.
This analytical mindset followed me to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Even while pursuing my degree, I joined the MIT-African Students Association in various intramural sports. While I jokingly admit I "sucked at basketball," tennis was my constant. It was a lifestyle—a way to connect with the diaspora while maintaining that "quiet brilliance" I admire in leaders like Patrick Awuah. I played a lot of tennis with friends at MIT and Stanford.
In the professional world, I am a die-hard fan of Roger Federer. On July 5, 2009, when he broke Pete Sampras’ record, I officially declared him my "fave tennis player ever." Why? Because of his consistency and humble excellence. When he won his 20th Grand Slam, he became the GOAT, though I think Novak Djokovic has passed him with 24 Grand Slam wins. At the same time, I celebrate the Williams sisters as icons, overcoming odds as minorities in a sport that has traditionally been for the elite. Pride and power. Their dominance isn't just sports news; it's a testament to what is possible when talent meets opportunity.
Challenges
Unfortunately, I have not played much tennis since I returned to Ghana on August 17, 2011. I do not think I have had a racket for over a decade. I remember playing tennis was when my Stanford Nigerian friend Damilola got me to. We played at the Tesano Sports Club. After a few games, drenched in sweat, my stamina was gone. I need to build that back up. The last time I played, was with my sister, Tracey, at the (Tarkwa) Damang tennis courts in May 2018.
The main challenge is infrastructure. While Accra has the most courts—with the highest concentration centered in Ridge. There are other hard courts at Adabraka, and Sunrise—, The Military also has some "plastic courts". Grass courts? If we cannot maintain the grass court at Ohene Djan and Baba Yara stadia, how much more for tennis?
Around Ghana, there are public courts also in Kumasi, Ho, Takoradi, and Bolgatanga. We need courts where people can go and play, and not mostly courts at hotels. I have a lot of friends who are in the Ho Tennis Club. We need more courts, tournaments, all over Ghana.
School Levels: The Grassroots Foundation
The journey starts here, but often, this is where we lose our future stars. At the basic school level, we need to move beyond "recreational" play. I've been following the progress of young stars in the junior circuits. Names like Michael Agyapong Mensah have shown promise at the African Schools Games, proving that the raw talent is there. In Ghana, high school (or the "Inter-Co" level) is where most athletes find their rhythm. However, tennis often takes a backseat to football and athletics. We are seeing a shift, though, thanks to the ITF Junior circuit. Tournaments like the J30 and J60 Accra are becoming crucial battlegrounds.
Players like Joseph Sonny Atitsogbei, Hanif Boateng, Aaron Armaah, and Ebenezer Abban are currently the ones to watch. These young men are competing against international talent right here in Accra. On the girls' side, Sisu-Makena Tomegah has been a standout, reaching a career-high ITF Junior ranking of 548. She is the embodiment of #PositivityRules in action—tenacious, skilled, and representing Ghana with pride.
University: The Crucible of Champions
The Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Games are where the "X’s and O’s" truly come together. In the 2024 GUSA Games, we saw a fierce rivalry between the 2 top universities in Ghana, KNUST, and the University of Ghana (UG). Some key players have been Tracy Ampah (yay, another Tracy 🙂) from KNUST, Lawrencia Aghoghorbia and Aleona Naa Ankrah from UG, Abraham Sosu (GCTU), etc. University tennis should be the "funnel" for our national team. We need to ensure that student-athletes have the support to transition from campus glory to professional circuits. We should get some of our top teenage players in Ghana to get scholarships to play at the likes of Stanford, etc.Professional Level: The Global Summit
I always used to follow the Davis Cup when I was younger. We had stalwarts like .Today, Abraham Asaba (top 1500 globally) and Isaac Nortey are our leading lights on the ATP and ITF circuits. While we don't yet have a Ghanaian woman in the top tiers of the WTA, the trajectory of players like Sisu-Makena Tomegah gives me hope. The leap from Futures to the ATP/WTA main draw requires more than just "Vim"—it requires significant training, financial backing and world-class coaching.
To improve tennis in Ghana, we must analyze the "X’s and O’s" at every stage of a player’s development. Currently, Ghana is ranked around 96th in the Davis Cup standings, fighting in Group IV Africa. We are trailing neighbors like Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Togo, who are all better than us.
Solutions
As the Director of the GhanaThink Foundation, I don’t believe in waiting for "the authorities" to fix everything. We can contribute to a tennis revolution through proactive networking and community building.
Community cultivating champions: We need to have a concentration of tennis players much like we have Bukom for boxing. We need communities of players challenging each other, watching the top tennis players and being motivated to be like them. They should have several clinics, attracting the likes of Serena Williams.
Digital Advocacy: We should use our platforms, etc to shine a spotlight on our local stars. The likes of #CitiSports & #SportyFM must talk more about tennis. This will help more sponsors to be interested, and more athletic youngsters taking up tennis. We must make our players household names.
Mental Fortitude & Smartness Training: Success in tennis is 90% mental. Our players need the "psychology of winning"—the ability to stay calm under pressure. We also need our players to become smarter, be able to guess where the balls might come from and land. That same smartness is needed for all sports. We should not relegate sports to kids and youth who are not smart.
Conclusion: Serving with Vim
Tennis is more than a sport; it is a metaphor for leadership. It requires discipline, history, and an unshakable belief in one's potential. Whether I’m reminiscing about Okodee Road or live-tweeting a Grand Slam final, I am always looking for ways to bring that excellence back home.
Ghana has the talent. We have the hunger. Now, we need the "Action." Let’s stop talking about the state of the game and start building the partnerships that will put a Ghanaian on the center court of Wimbledon. #MoreVim for that!
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