The Paul Pleva-and-Uwe German team eventually beat their opponents to clinch the trophy
The first edition of the Rainbow Nations Tennis Tournament was climaxed in Ghana to further foster diplomatic cooperation in Africa and beyond.
The event which was organized under the auspices of the South African High Commissioner, Her Excellency, Grace Mason and the Ghana South African Business Chamber (GSABC) also aimed at strengthening a closer relationship between the diplomatic and business communities in Ghana, especially in the post-Covid era, while providing networking opportunities for development.
The three-day event which was held from Tuesday, May 10 to Thursday, May 12 2022 at the Accra Lawn Tennis Club, brought together participants, including fifty-six professional and amateur as well as juvenile tennis players from across twenty-three countries and six continents [Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Australia] who competed for honours.
Between the semi-finals and the final, was an exhibition match between the top two under fifteens in Ghanaian tennis, Naa Shika McKorley, daughter of business magnate, Daniel McKorley; and Sisu Tomegah in which the latter emerged the eventual victor after a pulsating display from both players.
The final was a double between Paul Pleva and Uwe German from the United States and Dough Hampshire and Ryan MacLean, from the United Kingdom.
Characteristic of every finale, it was a very tightly-contested and breathtaking match that saw spectators let out various emotions.
The Paul Pleva-and-Uwe German team eventually beat their opponents to clinch the trophy and be crowned the first-ever champions of the Rainbow Nations Challenge Tennis Tournament.
The event was graced by high-profile personalities from the political and diplomatic community including Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa; Ghana’s Ambassador to Belgium, Harriet Sena Siaw Boateng; the United States (US) Ambassador-designate as well as representatives from the Ghana Tennis Federation.
The South African High Commissioner, Grace Mason in her remarks, highlighted the need for continuous cooperation between Ghana and other nations, especially South Africa, while urging businesses to leverage the opportunities presented by the friendship that existed between the countries.
The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa stressed the “important” roles that ambassadors and high commissioners have to play, especially “when economies are trying to bounce back” after the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There’s the need to build synergies to enhance development. We are in a time where businesses have to resume fully”, he stated.
Winners also received a specially commissioned artwork from Patti Blueh, a South African artist and winner of Discovery of the year 2021 at the Ghana Arts and Culture Awards.
One of her beautiful artworks, ‘Distance’ was also auctioned off in support of the event's charitable cause. The auction also included a South African Airways return ticket, and an all-inclusive two-night stay at Labadi Beach Hotel in Ghana.