Sports
SANI Ndanusa , Former President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation ( NTF) said he was highly encouraged by the standards of at the 2026 NASCO/ITF J30 World Tennis Tour Junior Championship in Abuja.
Ndanusa stated this while addressing newsmen on Saturday at the end of the second week of the 2026 NASCO/ITF J30 World Tennis Tour Junior Championship in Abuja.
He said that the performance of Nigerian juniors showed that tennis development in the country was on the right track.
“I sleep tennis and eat tennis continuously. “The emergence of new players on the ITF circuit gives me hope,” he said.
He commended title sponsor NASCO Group and the International Tennis Federation ( ITF) for their support, describing NASCO as “traditionally tennis people” whose return has boosted the sport.
Bunmi Ashimolowo ,NASCO Group, represented by the Area Sales Manager, reaffirmed its commitment to youth sports development through the company by supporting the championship.
Oke Joseph , NASCO Group Tournament Coordinator , said about 30 per cent of Nigerian participants were first-time ITF players who gained world ranking points through the new round-robin format.
He expressed satisfaction with the success of the championship and said that plans are on ground to seek an upgrade of the event’s status in future editions.
“We hope by 2027 to move from a J30 event to a J60 and continue growing the tournament. We encourage all players to keep training and return stronger in 2027,” he said.
NAN reports that Success Ogunjobi won the girls singles title after defeating compatriot Khadijat Mohammed 6-2, 6-1.
Ogunjobi later combined with Emmanuel Kwange to claim the girls’ doubles crown, beating Khadijat Mohammed and Sri Lanka’s V.D. Rashmi Omaye Wijewardana 6-1, 6-2.
In the boys singles, Nigeria’s Gbolahan Olawale reached the final but lost 6-1, 7-6(8) to China’s Hengzhi Cui. Olawale and partner Ishaku Kwange also fell 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 to Chinese pair Jinxuan Cheng/Hengzhi Cui in the boys’ doubles final.
14 countries featured in the week-long championship that began Monday, and ended Saturday. ( NAN)
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