Outstanding Tersoo Wins Two Age Group Titles at CBN Junior Tennis

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Eleven-year-old BenueState Tennis player, Goodluck Tersoo was the star player of the weeklong CBN Junior Tennis Championships concluded at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club at the weekend.

Along with another 11-year-old, Mofi Atilola, the two kids paint a bright future for Nigeria’s tennis with the quality of play exhibited by the duo.

Tersoo in particular played above his Boys 12 age category and went ahead to the next stage, the Boys 14s to emerge champion.

In the Boys 12 category final, Tersoo coached by his father, dropped the first set in the five set super tiebreak decider against the defending champion Ikem Amasiani from Abuja,  but recovered to win 8-10, 11-9, 10.8, 10-5.  

Same day, the Benue lad similarly dropped his first set in the Boys 14s when playing a much older Lagos-based Isah Yahaya. Tersoo also came through 11-9, 2-10, 10-5, 10-8 to also win that category to claim two prizes in one junior competition. Yahaya who did not take the loss to a younger opponent lightly, cried all the way to the presentation ceremony.

Mofi Atilola on the other hand won the Girls 14s and was semifinalist in the Girls 16s.

Atilola recorded a sensational comeback victory against Ndidi Osaji in the Girls 16s to qualify for the semifinals but found Aina Goodnews from Ekiti too strong for her.  She however overran Bisola Ogunkolade from the Ekiti team 10-0, 10-5, 10-0 in the Girls 14s finals.

In the Boys 16s, David Edwards whose one-handed backhand was at its ferocious best defeated Abuja-based  Dubem Amasiani to claim the prize.

Edwards dropped the first set against the 14 & Under champion who decided to try his skills in a higher age group before winning 2-10, 10-6, 10-7, 10-6.

Other winners were Gloria Samuel who beat teammate Aina Goodnews in five sets and Success Godwin from the Lagos Mainland club who defeated Mabubat Rasaki from Oyo State in the Girls 12s.

Godwin Kienka,  Director of the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the ITA Junior Tennis Circuit, in his assessment of the CBN Junior Tennis Championships,  said the tournament has proved once again that the junior base of tennis talent is well established and compares to any standard in the world. 

“If these boys and girls have the right support, guidance and training, it will only be a matter of time before they start competing at the senior levels of major tournaments in the world,” concludes Kienka.