Nigerian-born, Netherlands-based Emmanuella Ogualu, who found the going tough at the beginning, at the weekend beat the odds to win the girls’ U-16 category of the NNPC- SNEPCo Junior Championships.

Ogualu, who entered the championships as a warm-up event to prepare for international ranking junior tournaments, met the kind of challenge she did not expect.

In her final round-robin group match against top seed Gloria Samuel, the hard-hitting, aspiring tennis pro was beaten 9-4 to place second.

But she redeemed herself by winning the cross-semifinals against Bisola Ogunkolade, the Group B winner.

In the finals, which was a rematch, Ogualu, now fully acclimatised, dominated the match with hard placements and seven aces to lead 7-3 in the pro-set.

A spirited comeback by Samuel, who closed the scores to 7-8, was resisted by Ogualu, who won 9-7.

The girls’ 14s turned out to be the most dramatic as top seed Adesinmi Olayinka saw her 8-3 lead erased by Chisimdi Afam Mbonu in an amazing fight-back that had spectators on their toes.

Olayinka, however, took advantage of a tiring opponent to win the tiebreak and the match.

Godwin Afaramai of the Police College Tennis Club won the boys’ 12, which was the most exciting boys’ match as he pursued every ball, sliding and falling several times, like Djokovic, to beat Divine Ezaka of the Mainland Tennis Club.

His elder brother Heman made it a double for the Afaramais by winning the boys’ 16s. Heman beat Damilola Agunbiade from the Calabar Sports Club 9-5.

Abuja-based Goodluck Tersoo had a pretty easy ride in the boys’ 14s, beating Daniel Igbinovia 9-5.

Another Abuja-based rising tennis star, Chimdiuto Obiora, who celebrated her birthday at the finals, won the girls’ 12s, beating Venus Babalola from Ibadan.

Obiora, along with Godwin Afaramai, were awarded the most outstanding players of the tournament.

America-based former Nigerian national champion, Africa Games medallist and American Collegiate tennis star, Rolake Olagbegi, was the special guest of honour.

In her remarks, she said: “I am amazed at the standard of the juniors at the three levels, and I have no doubt that if we continue like this, we shall be producing world stars in the near future.”

She did the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the championship, the honour of presenting the appreciation plaque to the sponsors, who were fully represented.