Tennis: Issac Nortey sets sight on medal for Ghana 

Ghana’s tennis star, Isaac Nortey eased into the Round of 16 of the men's singles competition and believes that consistency and a winning mindset have been his main driving force in the ongoing African Games.

On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the 24-year-old dispatched Burundi’s Gatoto Allan Terry from the competition with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory in their Round of 32 clash at the Borteyman Sports Complex.

Earlier, he had an easy passage in the Round of 64, beating his Ethiopian counterpart Sileshi Getachaw Belay 6-0, 6-2 to make a strong statement of intent in the competition.

Nortey admitted that he had to overcome nervousness due to the weight of expectation of playing before a partisan crowd. However, he got his composure and played to his best of abilities to get past the first two rounds of the competition.

“I am hoping to win a medal although I cannot promise anything right now because you never know what will happen next. I am taking it one match at a time. It’s a tough task but as a team, we believe we can do it. I think we can do it,” he told the Graphic Sports.

The former student of the University of Nebraska in the US encouraged his peers to not relent on their efforts but work hard to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by the sport.

“I started playing tennis when I was seven years old and so far, it’s been really fun. I am really enjoying it because it takes me to a lot of places that I can only imagine and I will urge every player out there to take it seriously because it can change your life,” he added.