The Ace National Junior Tennis Camp 2026 has concluded in Accra, promoting a holistic approach to developing young tennis talent through high-performance coaching, physical preparation, education, safeguarding and player welfare.

The five-week event, held at the Accra Lawn Tennis Club, brought together 60 young players between July and August and was organised by Africa Sports Alliance (ASA), with support from the Baafour Asiamah-Adjei Trust and endorsement from the Ghana Tennis Federation.

The camp was designed on the premise that developing competitive athletes requires more than technical tennis skills. Participants received training in tennis alongside conditioning, recovery, discipline, responsibility, respect and the importance of maintaining their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Addressing a section of the media, the Founder of Africa Sports Alliance, Naa Shika Adu, said, “Our vision was to create an environment where young players are developed not only as tennis players, but as complete athletes and responsible young people.

"We are therefore working to establish a year-round development programme combining structured tennis training with a Junior National League, which will commence in October 2026 and provide a consistent pathway for identifying, developing and nurturing young talent,”.

The 60 participants were grouped according to age and developmental stage to provide training and supervision suited to their needs. Thirty-six players aged 10 and under participated during the first two weeks, while 24 players aged 14 and under took part during the final two weeks.

The technical programme was led by Tudor Diaconu, an ATP coach with experience working with the Romanian Tennis Federation. His involvement introduced international high-performance coaching methods while giving Ghanaian coaches an opportunity to observe, exchange knowledge and strengthen their coaching capacity.

A team of 29 coaches, staff and volunteers supported the programme, providing close supervision and individual attention to participants.

Physical development was also a key component, with players introduced to movement, conditioning and recovery, helping them understand how appropriate preparation can improve performance, support recovery and reduce the risk of injury.

Safeguarding and player welfare were equally prioritised. Lessons on discipline, manners, respect and responsibility were incorporated into the programme, alongside attention to the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of participants.

The camp also gained an international dimension through the participation of Amine Ben Maklouf, World Tennis Development Officer for Africa, who visited the programme and engaged directly with players through education sessions.

He also met representatives of the Ghana Tennis Federation and Naa Shika Adu to discuss the development of tennis in Ghana and introduced emerging technology designed to support players and coaches.

His participation connected the camp to broader conversations around innovation, coaching and the future of tennis development across Africa.

For ASA, the conclusion of the 2026 camp marks the beginning of a longer-term development pathway.

The organisation aims to contribute to the identification and development of young talent through stronger coaching, sports science, safeguarding, education and access to meaningful competition.

“The real measure of this programme will be what happens after the camp. We want to contribute to a system where young players are identified early, developed safely and given the continuity and opportunities they need to progress. Our ambition is to help build an ecosystem in which African athletes can compete, improve and thrive,” Naa Shika Adu added.

The Ace National Junior Tennis Camp 2026 demonstrates how a comprehensive approach to junior sport can help Ghana develop not only better tennis players, but also disciplined, confident and well-rounded young athletes prepared for competitive sport and life beyond the court.