J30 Tennis: Edwards Upsets Ogunsakin, Atilola Wins Singles Titles

David Edwards shocked top seed Seyi Ogunsakin with a score of 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 to grab the boys’ singles title at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 tournament in Ikeja on Saturday.

Edwards started strong, winning the first set. Ogunsakin bounced back and took the second set 6-0. But Edwards found his rhythm in the final set, raising his game to secure the win and end Ogunsakin’s great run in the tournament.

In the girls’ singles final, newcomer Mofifunoluwa Atilola took down eighth seed Bright Emmanuel with a score of 6-2, 6-1. Atilola played confidently, showing good shot selection and controlling both sets well.

The 13-year-old also won a second title in the girls’ doubles. She teamed up with Goodnews Aina to beat Adesewa Olaniyan and Gloria Samuel 6-4, 6-2. In the boys’ doubles final, Ogunsakin partnered with Stanley Oriala to defeat Elisha Kwange and Gbolahan Olawale 6-4, 3-6, 13-11.

Atilola said her performance was impressive.

“My performance was very good. I stayed focused, remained in the game and believed in myself,” she said. She thanked sponsors like Procari Sweat, Peak, and MTN for helping players regain their energy during matches.

She urged the organisers to keep the competition going, saying, “We need more tournaments like this so we can earn points in our home country.”

Emmanuel expressed her disappointment after the match.

“I feel bad because I beat her the first time, but she has improved,” she said.

She promised to work harder for the next leg, which is set for November 9 to November 14. “I will train harder, study my game and work on other exercises to improve,” she added.

Edwards said his win came from sticking to a strategy. “I was strategic on the court and followed the game plan my father gave me,” he said. He called the tournament tough but enjoyable and hopes to improve in the next leg.

Tournament coordinator Abimbola Okubewa praised the growth of Nigerian players.

“Last year, Europeans dominated the tournament, but this year, Nigerian players dominated the semi-finals and finals. The improvement has been immense,” he said.

Okubewa, who used to be the chairman of the Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club, said the plan is to host at least four or five similar tournaments yearly to help junior tennis in Nigeria. “This is the foundation for juniors to become professionals. They start picking up points here and gradually work towards becoming top-50 or top-100 players,” he said.

Matthew Holmes from Lagos Country Club called for more junior tournaments. He said the first leg was a success with seven days of competitive matches involving Nigerian and European players. “These tournaments need to happen regularly to expose young players to high-level competition,” he said. He also urged businesses to invest in tennis development in Nigeria.

The tournament attracted young players from nine countries competing for international ranking points. The first leg took place from November 2 to November 7, with the finals on Saturday.