In a move to grow and strengthen Ghana’s tennis talent pipeline, Africa Sports Alliance (ASA), powered by the Baafour Asiamah–Adjei Trust (BAAT) and the Afful Foundation, is hosting the high-impact Ace National Junior Camp aimed at nurturing young players and also elevating the standard of tennis coaching in Ghana.  

The programme began on July 18 and is scheduled to end on August 17 at the Accra Lawn Tennis Club. The month-long event has brought together 60 selected Under-10 and Under-14 players for high-powered training sessions.

These will be under the guidance of Tudor Diaconu, an Association Tennis Professional (ATP) player and a certified coach currently affiliated with the Romanian Tennis Federation. The Ace National Junior Camp addresses a longstanding gap within the Ghanaian and African tennis space. That is the lack of a structured pathway from grassroots participation to elite performance.

More broadly, to address this challenge, ASA’s Ace National Junior Camp is designed to bridge this gap through a dual-focus approach that combines player development and the training of some selected Ghanaian national coaches.

Alongside the junior athletes, selected Ghanaian national coaches will take part in practical training sessions, gaining direct exposure to international coaching methodologies and best practices. This ensures that the programme’s impact extends beyond the camp itself and contributes to a stronger, more sustainable tennis ecosystem.

According to the Founder and Executive Director of Africa Sports Alliance, Naa Shika Adu, "Developing a competitive player requires more than talent. It demands structure, continuity and the right environment for nurturing and capacity-building. This camp is a deliberate step toward building a system that supports young athletes while equipping coaches with the tools to sustain that development."

She added that “child safeguarding and quality coaching are fundamental pillars of the programme. Through comprehensive safeguarding policies, qualified coaches and participant welfare protocols, ASA is committed to creating a secure and nurturing environment that empowers every child to reach their full potential.”

Naa Shika, who is clear-eyed about the scale of ambition behind the camp, has continuously put forward the point that “if Ghana wants to see players competing at the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tours, the groundwork has to start now with this generation."

On his expectations, Coach Tudor said he is looking forward to growing and nurturing the children at the camp. "I'm passionate about helping the young ones understand how the sport works, what it feels like to be a tennis player and how to work towards their dreams."  

He added, "I hope that by the end of the camp, it would have helped shape the physical and mental strength of the participants." He concluded that "in order to grow, we need to keep our eyes and ears open so we learn".

Consequently, while the immediate outcome will be a month of high-performance training, the programme’s true success will be measured over time.

This includes improved coaching standards, sustained player participation and the emergence of athletes capable of competing on the international stage. The Africa Sports Alliance is a continental movement advancing learning, leadership and talent through the power of sport, creativity and community-led education.

The organisation designs integrated systems which offer the opportunity for play to become purpose, discipline to become opportunity and young people to become changemakers. ASA’s mission is to build a broader sports economy.