In a thrilling display of tennis prowess, Yusuf Abubakar and Khadijat Mohammed emerged victorious in the boys’ and girls’ singles, respectively, at the prestigious Zenith Bank Next Generation Masters tournament held at Ikoyi Club, Lagos over the weekend.
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Yusuf Abubakar, representing Abuja’s Mambilla Barracks Tennis Programme, showcased exceptional talent throughout the week and secured a remarkable upset victory in the finals.
He defeated the number one seed, Canice Abua from Life Camp Abuja Tennis Club, with a hard-fought 7-6, 6-4 scoreline, claiming the well-deserved boys’ singles title.
Khadijat Mohammed, hailing from Abuja as well, exhibited an inspiring comeback after an initial loss in the round-robin stage.
She delivered a dominant performance in the finals, defeating Success Ogunjobi from Ekiti with an emphatic 6-0, 6-1 score, clinching the girls’ singles championship.
In a heartwarming gesture, Ifeanyi Ezeokoli, a member of the Ikoyi Club and an avid tennis enthusiast, generously gifted the players a total of N300,000.
The funds will be used to open accounts for all the players, showing his unwavering support for their budding careers.
The tournament was organized by the International Tennis Academy and enjoyed tremendous support from Zenith Bank.
Lanre Oladimeji, representing the Group’s Managing Director, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, expressed the bank’s delight in witnessing the tournament’s impact on motivating young talents to excel in their tennis careers.
He expressed confidence that the competition would propel these promising juniors to achieve success at the senior level and beyond, in the global tennis circuit.
The Zenith Bank Next Generation Masters showcased the extraordinary skills and dedication of these young players, leaving spectators in awe.
As the tournament concluded, it became evident that the future of Nigerian tennis holds immense promise, thanks to the exceptional performances of Yusuf Abubakar and Khadijat Mohammed, along with their fellow participants.
