The CBN Junior Tennis Championship, which for over 30 years has been the foundation and bedrock of tennis development in Nigeria will commence in Lagos on Tuesday September 3 at two centres – the National Stadium Tennis Centre which will host the preliminary group stages and the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club where the semifinals and grand finale will be held Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7 respectively
The tournament which has thrown up female national champions such as Oyinlomo Quadri, MaryLove Edwards and male champions the likes of Sylvester Emmanuel, Gabriel Otu and lately David Ekpeyong who went from winning the juniors to winning the seniors in two years, will feature boys and girls 12s, 14s and 16s.
The tournament is expected to heighten the emerging rivalry between Seyi Ogunsakin from Ekiti and Dubem Amasiani from Abuja in the Boys 16s as well as that between fast rising tennis prodigy, 11-year-old Mofi Atilola from Lagos and Karina Opuene from Bayelsa.
Gloria Samuel from Ekiti State, the national 14 & under champion will expect a revenge bid by Emmanuella Kwange from the Abuja based Aurum Tennis
Academy in the Girls 14 event.
