Mofi Atilola, the current national 12 & Under Girls champion was the star of the inaugural FE&P Invitational Masters which took place at the Ikoyi Club last weekend.
The emerging precocious tennis talent from the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club had no problem winning the 12s where she beat Success Godwin from the Lagos Mainland Tennis Club and Karina Opuene from Bayelsa in straight sets. It was in the Girls 14s where she was given a wild card to prove her mettle that she excelled.
Atilola beat the second seed Emmanuella Kwange from the Aurum Academy in Abuja and Favour James of the Uyo-based GEUF Academy in three sets to qualify for the finals where she was halted by Gloria Samuel, the current girls 14 & Under champion from Ekiti State. Samuel, aware of the threat the 11-year-old Atilola posed, put on her strongest game face and won the pro set 9-2.
Godwin Kienka, director of the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the ITA Junior Tennis Circuit, described Atilola as a “no miss talent” who with the proper training and guidance could be a top 20 player on the WTA pro tour. Kienka who worked with the International Tennis Federation and ATP for several years was one of the few who tapped Novak Djokovic to become a future world tennis No.1 in 2006 at the French Open.
The boys 14 final saw Dubem Amasiani from Abuja and Seyi Ogunsakin from Ekiti continue their rivalry to dominate that age group. Ogunsakin this time prevailed 9-2 to win the title. Ikem Amasiani however made up for his brother’s loss by beating Okandeji Mohammed in the boys 12 finals.
“The whole idea of the FE&P Invitational Masters”, explained the ITA director, “is to identify and isolate our best talent and establish a succession plan from the 12s, 14s 16s, the Next Gen and then to the professionals.”
