Edwards, Chukwudubem, Etoro Rule CBN Junior Tennis in Lagos

David Edwards stunned Seyi Ogunsakin 9-3 in the final of the Boys 14 final to round up the 18th Central Bank of Nigeria Junior Tennis Championship which took place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Lagos on Saturday.

The cadet players who are amongst the generation-next to take Nigerian tennis to the next level thrilled the well attended event with great tennis skills at such tender age.

 Ogunsakin who is the youngest of the Ogunsakin kids, raced to three games lead before Edwards, the younger brother of reigning CBN Senior Tennis Open champion, MaryLove Edwards, fought back gamely and stretched the lead till the last game to end at 9-3.

Interestingly, the two outstanding players of this edition of CBN Junior Tennis were Chukwudubem Ammssiani from Abuja and Etoro Bassey from the GEUF Tennis Academy in Akwa Ibom State.

Ammassiani, the Boys 12 defending champion had in the semifinal overcome a nerve-racking challenge from 5ft 10ins tall 12 year-old, Nathaniel Aluko, in a match which swung back and forth, with the Abuja-based young champion eventually winning 9-8. Ammassiani then coasted through the finals against Wisdom Effiong from the GEUF Academy 9-3.

The promising tennis talent, given a wild card into the Boys 14s, to fast- track his progress, also reached the semifinals of the Boys 14, losing to runner-up Seyi Ogunsakin 9-7.

Bassey, who showed remarkable improvement, was hardly stretched by her opponents from the group stage to the finals where she beat Eunice Iorlumun from Benue State 9-5.

Other winners were Aina Henry from Ondo State who beat Joseph Ogunyemi from the host club 9-0; Mufu Atitola from the host club who defeated Roseline Nana of Lagos 9-6 in the Girls 12 and David Edward who overpowered Ogunsakin 9-3 in the Boys 14.

Aina Goodnews beat her Ekiti State teammate Gloria Samuel who had defeated her in the group stage 9-3 in the Girls 14s final.

The well attended grand finale which had Dr Abdulmumin Isa, acting director of Corporate Communications as guest of honour and Dr Hassan Mahmud, director of Monetary Policy Department as Special guest of honour, featured the Diara Dancers, winners of the Glo Battle of the Year dancing competition.