By Vivian Ahanmisi
David Edwards stunned top seed Seyi Ogunsakin 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 to win the boys’ singles title at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 tournament in Ikeja.

Edwards recovered from losing the second set 0-6 to defeat Ogunsakin in a thrilling three-set final on Saturday.

The winner dominated the opening set 6-4 before Ogunsakin responded emphatically, taking the second set without dropping a game.

However, Edwards regained his composure in the deciding set, winning 6-2 to claim the title.

In the girls’ singles final, 13-year-old debutant Mofifunoluwa Atilola defeated eighth seed Bright Emmanuel 6-2, 6-1 to emerge champion.

Atilola displayed confidence, consistency and impressive shot selection to overcome her more highly seeded opponent in straight sets.

She controlled the opening set 6-2 before maintaining her dominance to secure the second 6-1.

The victory capped an impressive debut for Atilola, who expressed confidence in maintaining her form during the second leg.

In the girls’ doubles final, Goodnews Aina and Atilola defeated Adesewa Olaniyan and Gloria Samuel 6-4, 6-2.

Seyi Ogunsakin and Stanley Oriala claimed the boys’ doubles title, defeating Elisha Kwange and Gbolahan Olawale 6-4, 3-6, 13-11.

Speaking after her victory, Atilola described her performance as impressive, attributing her success to concentration and self-belief.

“My performance was very good. I stayed focused, remained in the game and believed in myself,” she said.

She expressed hope of sustaining her performance in the second leg, promising to give her best and remain committed to her game.

Atilola described the tournament as enjoyable and appreciated sponsors Procari Sweat, Peak and MTN for supporting the players.

She said their contributions helped competitors replenish their energy during matches.

The youngster urged organisers to sustain the competition, saying regular tournaments would enable Nigerian players to earn international ranking points at home.

“We need more tournaments like this so we can earn points in our home country,” she said.

Emmanuel expressed disappointment over her defeat, acknowledging Atilola’s improvement since their previous encounter.

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

She, however, promised to work harder ahead of the second leg scheduled for Nov. 9 to Nov. 14.

“I will train harder, study my game and work on other exercises to improve,” she added.

Edwards attributed his victory over the top seed to tactical discipline and adherence to his father’s instructions.

“I was strategic on the court and followed the game plan my father gave me,” he said.

He described the tournament as challenging but enjoyable, expressing optimism about improving his performance in the second leg.

Tournament coordinator Abimbola Okubewa praised the improvement in Nigerian players’ performances, particularly their dominance in the latter stages.

Okubewa, a former chairman of the Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club, said the competition offered young players opportunities to earn international ranking points.

He explained that such opportunities were essential for developing future professional players in Nigeria.

The organisers, he said, hoped to stage at least four or five similar tournaments annually to strengthen junior tennis development.

“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.

Comparing the current edition with the previous tournament, Okubewa said Nigerian players had made remarkable progress.

He noted that Europeans dominated the previous edition, while Nigerians featured prominently in this year’s semi-finals and finals.

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

Similarly, Matthew Holmes, a member of Lagos Country Club, called for regular junior tennis competitions to accelerate the development of young players.

Holmes described the first leg as successful, noting that it featured seven days of competitive matches involving Nigerian and European players.

He said regular tournaments would expose Nigerian youngsters to higher standards of competition.

“These tournaments need to happen regularly to expose young players to high-level competition,” he said.

Holmes also appealed to corporate organisations to support tennis development through increased investment.

“Corporate sponsors should come forward and invest in helping to develop Nigerian tennis,” he said.

The tournament attracted young players from nine countries, offering participants opportunities to compete for international ranking points.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition is being staged in two legs, with the first running from Nov. 2 to Nov. 7.

The second leg is scheduled for Nov. 9 to Nov. 14, with more matches expected during the six-day competition. (NAN)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo