The 2025 SAPETRO Futures Tennis Championship ended on a very bright note at the Ikoyi Club on Saturday, with two first-timers, Chisimdi Afam-Mbonu and Raphael Awi from Lagos, putting up outstanding performances.
Afam-Mbonu, competing in the girls’ U-12 category, beat the number one seed, Barakat Ganiyu from Oyo State, in the semifinals in a close match decided by a tiebreaker. She followed that up with another third-set tiebreak win over the second seed, Adesinmi Olayinka from Ondo State.
Awi, from the Police College Sports Club, who was inconsolable after his loss in the finals, had also taken out the number two seed in the boys’ U-12 class in the semifinals, but found the top seed, Friday Testimony from Ogun State, too tough to break down in the final.
The match of the day, which had spectators and dignitaries really excited, was the boys’ U-16 clash between Seyi Ogunsakin of Ekiti and Dubem Amasiani from Abuja.
Amasiani, who returned from four weeks of international junior tournaments in Tunisia and Ghana, was expected to win easily and looked to do that when he led 5-0 in the pro set. Ogunsakin, however, staged an amazing comeback, levelling at 5-5 and dragging the match to a tiebreak at 8 – 8.
A tired Amasiani was completely overwhelmed in the tiebreak, which Ogunsakin won 10-7.
Goodnews, Aina from Ekiti, expectedly, won the girls’ U-16 crown by beating her teammate, Gloria Samuel, while the girls’ U-14 title was taken by Success Godwin from Ekiti, who beat Khadijat Wuraola from Kwara.
The Abuja boys took the boys U-14 title with Goodluck Tersoo, who also got the most improved player for boys, thrashing Daniel Igbinovia from the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. The most improved player for the girls went to Barakat Ganiyu from Oyo State.
Speaking at the end of the competition, Managing Director, South Atlantic Petroleum, sponsors of the championship, Emeka Anagbogu, who was represented by GM, Technical Services and Assets, Azubuike Egwuenu, said the organisation was very happy with the high level of skills exhibited by the young players.
He added: “We would like to see them progress beyond the national level to become tennis professionals.”
