National junior team coach, Ubale Mohammed, is excited after the 2015 edition of the CBN Junior Tennis Championships served off in Lagos on Monday with record entries. The tournament had a total of 184 entries beating the previous record of 172 participants. Lagos, the host state, expectedly led the entries with 48 participants with Ogun State following with
20 while Rivers and Ekiti States had 12 each. Mohammed said, “It took more than six hours to conclude the screening and draws but we are happy that that the bulk of the entries are in the right ages of 10, 12 and 14.”
Asked to explain the possible reason for the explosion of entries, Ubale said, “I think the performance of the junior players in the senior tournaments where Moses Michael won the Lagos Governors Cup and Sylvester Emmanuel won the Ikoyi Club Masters must have excited them and given them belief that they too can excel.
These were players that were playing the same junior tournaments with them two or three years ago. The coaches also are greatly encouraged.” In some of the early round robin matches played, Austin Stephen caused the first upset when he beat the No.3 seed in the Boys 18, Godgift Timbra from Port Harcourt in the opening match. Marylove Edwards also signalled her intention to gun for two titles when she overwhelmed Ngowari Jim-Jaja 9-0 in the girls 16. The tournament which is part of the International Tennis Academy Junior Tennis Circuit is scheduled to end on Saturday with the grand finale starting at 12 noon.
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