By Orkula Shaagee (ABUJA) –
Inspired by the pep talks from her mum who called before, during and after the match, Goodnews Aina, 15, from Ekiti State, at weekend won her first junior title on the ITA Junior Tennis Circuit with a hard fought 8-6, 4-7, 7-4 score to beat defending champion Gloria Samuel in the Girls 16 event of the 2024 NNPC-SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship.
The 2024 NNPC-SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship took place in Warri, Delta State.
Aina played some solid tennis – winning the long rallies against her more accomplished teammate – to win a close first set. The expected fight back from Gloria came but Aina recovered to take the final set by the same score.
“My mother told me I should never lose another final again that I have lost too many finals. I am very glad I made her happy,” Aina said after the match.
In the Boys 16s, Dubem Amasiani from Abuja defeated Gbolahan Olawale, the National Youth Games champion, to win his 25th title in all competitions.
The Boys 14s event was won by Isa Yahaya from Lagos who beat Daniel Udemekong from the Port Harcourt based Kodian Tennis Academy while Mofi Atilola gave Lagos her second title at the Championship with a straight sets victory over Success Godwin from Ekiti State. In the Girls 14s.
The Director of the International Tennis Academy, the organisers, Godwin Kienka, said the tournament which held at the PTI Staff Club was taken to Warri to motivate the young boys and girls in the Warri community to look at sports generally and tennis in particular as windows of opportunity to change their fortune for the better.