….We are ready to support the talented tennis players-Olutekunbi
By Adeyemi Robinson-Adefioye Lagos
The visionary of Fusion Sports Foundation, Fuad Quadri has described the maiden edition of Fusion Sports Foundation Summer Tennis Clinic/Tournament in conjunction with the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club as amazing.
Quadri, former Nigerian number one Junior ranked player said the Foundation aim was to unearth talents as well monitor the progress of the discovered talents during the Summer Clinic.
According to Quadri, “if we keep organizing this Tennis Summer Clinic /Tournament, we can get more than five hundred children who will later turn to stars in future.
“We’ve seen Mofifunoluwa Atilola in under 10 and under 12 category, the Osajis’ siblings and other talented players that we can nurture for the future.
“I owe everything to the game of tennis, it has given me the opportunity to become what I am today and if the kids are given more opportunities, they will do more than what I have done”. Quadri said.
Quadri, Head performance coach of Emirates Tennis Academy in the United Arab Emirates,(UAE) Dubai hinted www.sunrisetimes.com.ng that the plan was to make the summer clinic a quarterly one adding Fusion Tennis Foundation is set to also ensure that the kids have at least the O levels in order that their scholarship to University in the United States would be an easy ride through tennis.
One of the kids at the Summer Clinic/Tournament, Mofifunoluwa Atilola said taking part in this Clinic and the tournament was a good experience for her.
Atilola who won the under 10 and runner up in under 12 category said that her victory over her opponent Sunter Ahenjir was when she discovered that her backhand was not as strong as forehand.
“I realised that she is not good at backhand when we are rallying and I discovered that when she takes her shot, it goes out that is how I was able to capitalize on her weak points till the end of the game which ended 4-1, 4-0 in my favour.
“Losing to Osaji was not that I was afraid, the shot she plays while rallying chokes and before adjusting myself the ball has already passed me and returning her shot hit the net a times” Atilola emphasised.
Meanwhile, the President of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Kolade Olutekunbi has described the Summer Clinic and tournament as impressive adding that Lagos Lawn Tennis Club would not rest on it Oars to unearth the talents.
Barrister Olutekunbi in an interview with www.sunrisetimes.com.ng after the final of the boys under 10 said they believe in grassroots developmental programmes and ensure that the character is built in them when they are much younger which was the reason the Club partnered with Fusion Tennis Foundation to bring out the best in them.
According to Olutekunbi, “the Summer Clinic and the tournament is far reaching in terms of participation, having almost one hundred and fifty children participating in different categories, in under 4,5,6, under 10,12 and 18 which made the turn out impress.
“We are catching them young and we believe that the character is built when they are much younger that is what the club is partnering the Fusion Tennis Foundation and all other organizations that are partnering with us to ensure that we build tennis out of our kids.
“Tennis is a serious business, you could see the likes of Serena Williams, Roger Federer, the Rafael Nadals of this world.
“Novak Djokovich and the likes, this is how they were brought up to become super stars, we are looking forward to seeing the likes of the Williams’ sisters, Rafael Nadal and Djokovich emerge and when we discover them young and we know that they have the potentials to play tennis we will encourage them.
“ We will make our facilities to be available for them, we will follow them up both financially and any other way we can encourage them to play tennis, that is what gladden our heart as a club, we are happy to host this kind of tournament”. Olutekunbi hinted.
In under 10 girls category, Mofifunoluwa Atilola defeated Sunter Ahenjir 4-1, 4-0 in the final, while Murewa Egbeyemi beat Macolm Osaji 2-4, 4-2, 7-4 which was considered as the star match of the tournament.
In under 18 girls Destiny Okimaye emerged the champion while Gbolahan Oladipupo beat Joseph Fortune 9-5 to win the boys category.
Ndidi Osaji beat Mofifunoluwa Atilola in two straight sets to be crowned the under 12 Champion.
