The first phase of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 Abuja tournament ended on a high note in the nation’s capital, with Nigerian players delivering strong performances and tennis stakeholders expressing optimism about the future of the sport in the country.
Key Highlights:
Held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Package B Tennis Courts on Sunday, Abuja, the tournament brought together promising players aged between 16 and 18 from 14 countries, including Nigeria, the United States, China, France, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Liberia, Benin Republic, Lithuania and India.
As part of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors circuit, the competition provides young athletes with opportunities to earn international ranking points while gaining valuable exposure against players from different parts of the world.
The opening week produced thrilling matches across the singles and doubles categories, with Nigerian players featuring prominently among the winners and finalists.
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Nigeria’s Success Ogunjobi emerged champion in the girls’ singles category after battling back from a set down to defeat compatriot Khadijat Mohammed 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1 in a dramatic final.
An excited Ogunjobi said she was delighted with the victory and proud of her fighting spirit.
“I feel very excited. I can say I didn’t expect it, but I’m just happy. I played very well and was able to come back in the final set after losing the first set,” she said.
The young Nigerian star revealed that her attention has already shifted to the second phase of the tournament.
“I still have the remaining part of this year, and I’m going to be playing here next week as well.”
Mohammed, who finished as runner-up, remained upbeat despite the defeat.
“It wasn’t my day today. I’m looking forward to the second leg and hopefully I will do better,” she said.
China’s Cui Hengzhi captured the boys’ singles title after an impressive run through the knockout rounds.
The Chinese player defeated Cameroon’s Olive Victoire Divine Nkolo 6-1, 6-0 in the quarter-finals before overcoming American-based Elliott Awomoyi 6-1, 6-4 in the semi-finals.
He went on to defeat Nigeria’s Elisha Ishaku Kwange 6-2, 6-2 in the final to secure the championship.
Kwange had earlier impressed by defeating fellow Nigerian Seyi Ebenezer Ogunsakin and China’s Jinxuan Cheng on his way to the final.
The boys’ doubles title was won by the top-seeded partnership of Elliott Awomoyi and Nigeria’s Seyi Ebenezer Ogunsakin.
The pair enjoyed a dominant campaign and sealed the championship with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 victory over Nathaniel Aluko and Onyekachi Michael Ogumjiofor in the final.
Reflecting on the tournament, Awomoyi described the experience as memorable.
“My performance overall was nice. It’s a real privilege to play here in Abuja. The singles didn’t go as well as I hoped, although I made it to the final four. But I’m happy with the doubles performance, winning the title, which is really special and encouraging for me.”
The 16-year-old also praised the atmosphere at the tournament.
“The atmosphere is great. Seeing all the kids who play tennis and are inspired by the great players of our time and all the people supporting them, it’s really encouraging.”
Looking ahead to the second phase, he added:
“There are definitely a lot of lessons I’ve learned from the first leg. It’s really great to see a lot of young people who love tennis and are working hard, and it’s a great thing to see.”
In the girls’ doubles event, Nigeria’s Khadijat Mohammed and France’s Jessica Togbe emerged champions after defeating the second-seeded team of Success Ogunjobi and Sri Lanka’s Rashmi Vijay Vardhana Wijewardana 7-5, 7-5 in a closely contested final.
Although disappointed by the defeat, Wijewardana described the tournament as an important learning experience.
“It was a really good match and my first doubles final. It was a tight match. Hopefully next week I can go for the win and get the title.”
She also commended the quality of Nigerian players.
“They’re very good. It was quite challenging, and it was a good match. It’s a really great time here in Nigeria.”
Offering advice to younger players hoping to pursue tennis careers, she said:
“Keep grinding and keep playing. Every day is a day you can improve yourself. It’s really about consistency and staying in the game.”
President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Victor Ochei, described the opening phase of the tournament as a major success and a sign of growing international confidence in Nigeria’s ability to host world-class competitions.
“First and foremost, I must say I’m highly impressed. We have players from about 14 nations joining Nigeria to play here. The fact that players are coming from different parts of the world is an indication of the confidence they have in Nigeria’s ability to host competitions of this nature.”
According to Ochei, the tournament forms part of the federation’s long-term vision of developing future champions from the grassroots.
“These are young players who are growing today. By the time they become big players tomorrow, they will remember the experience they had in Abuja. We are building tennis from the grassroots and preparing these talents for bigger stages.”
He also expressed satisfaction with the performance of Nigerian players, pointing to recent successes recorded by the country in international competitions.
“We just won the Davis Cup, and those were local players. We are also preparing for the Billie Jean King Cup, and we are relying on our local talents. That shows Nigerian tennis is moving in the right direction.”
Despite the progress recorded, Ochei acknowledged that significant challenges remain in developing grassroots tennis across Nigeria.
According to him, inadequate infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles.
“We don’t have enough tennis facilities across many states and local government areas. We need governors and local government chairmen to invest in tennis infrastructure so young people can have places to learn and play the game.”
He explained that without courts and training facilities, discovering and nurturing talents becomes difficult.
“If the facilities are there, they will be used. But if they don’t exist, young players cannot access the sport.”
The federation president also highlighted the financial burden on parents as another major challenge.
“Tennis takes a lot of time and resources to groom young players. Parents have to invest money, effort and energy into their children’s development.”
He revealed that the federation is exploring ways to secure more sponsorship and financial support to assist talented players who may struggle with the costs associated with training and competitions.
One of the tournament sponsors, Nasco Group, reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment through sports.
Customer Service Representative Ellen Jagede said the company was proud to support a platform that helps young athletes develop their talents.
“At Nasco, we are committed to initiatives that support youth development. That’s why we are supporting this tournament to give young people a platform to compete, excel and showcase their abilities.”
She noted that the company has a history of supporting developmental programmes and intends to continue investing in initiatives that positively impact young Nigerians.
“We provide quality life, and by supporting these young athletes, we are helping them grow, develop and showcase their talents.”
With the successful conclusion of the first phase, attention now turns to the second leg of the J30 Abuja tournament, where players will once again battle for valuable ranking points, titles and international recognition.
For many of the young competitors, the tournament represents more than just a competition. It is an opportunity to take another step toward their dreams of becoming future stars of world tennis.
