Tennis hopeful Adjei Darko missing

The chances of Ghana's tennis team, the Golden rackets, of remaining in the Euro-Africa Zone two Davis Cup, is on the verge of suffering a big blow as one of its rising stars, Henry Adjei Darko, is playing a hide-and-seek with the team.

With only three days remaining for the play off between Ghana and Armenia to kick-start at the Accra Sports Stadium, attempts by the tennis officials to reach Darko has proved futile. Darko, who is on an ITF scholarship programme in Kenya, arrived in the country a couple of days ago for the tournament but surprisingly failed to join his other colleagues in training.

Coach David Churcher told the GNA Sports in Accra on Tuesday that he was informed about the player's arrival on Monday and tried to reach his parents without success. The coach said he had been informed that the boy trains at the Gulden Tulip court every morning hence he together with the Chairman of the Ghana Tennis Association (GTA) tried to "track" him but could not get him.

Coach Churcher said he therefore tasked Gunther Darkey, the country's number one seed to try and reach him since they were playmates. "I have just been told that the boy's mother said her son was suffering from malaria", the coach said. Asked what action the GTA would take if the boy fails to turn up, the coach said "we will still pursue him till Thursday when the draws will be made, then we will know either to maintain him or to scrap his name from the list."

Other members of the Ghanaian squad are veteran Frank Ofori, Kwasi Ahinkora, Fred Agyiri and Patrick Nortey. Ofori was expected to arrive last Monday but is yet to come.

Meanwhile, Gunther Darkey has expressed optimism about Ghana remaining in the Zone but said it would not be easy. "I know it's going to be tough but with the home support, we can scrape through", said Darkey who participated in the recent Wimbledon qualifier in the UK.

The Armenia's top seed is ranked 64 while Darkey is ranked 800 in the world but the Ghanaian player said "that does not really matter, its how best you play on the day that matters". Ghana is currently rankled fifth on the continent and 84 in the world and would want to use this tournament to improve on her ratings. Referee Anton Rens from South Africa arrived in the country last Monday for the 12-14 tournaments.