By TARGBA SHAAGEE, Abuja –
Yusuf Abubarka and Khadijat Mohammed over the weekend emerged champions of the boys’ and girls’ singles respectively of the Zenith Bank Next Generation Masters which took place at the Ikoyi Club in Lagos.
Abubarka, from the Mambilla barracks tennis program in Abuja had been outstanding all week and followed through with a 7-6, 6-4 upset victory over No.1 seed, Canice Abua from the Life Camp Abuja tennis Club, Khadijat also from Abuja, on the other hand, recovered from an opening round robin loss to Etoro Bassey to beat Success Ogunjobi from Ekiti with an emphatic 6-0, 6-1 score in the final.
Ifeanyi Ezeokoli, a member of the Ikoyi Club who had watched some of the matches including the finals, gifted the players the sum of N300, 000 which will go towards opening an account for all the players.
“I am passionate about the game of tennis and I am so impressed with the level of skill displayed by all these very young players” Mr Ezeokoli said. Adding, this token donation is my way of appreciating all the work that has been done in giving them a platform to showcase their talent.”
Lanre Oladimneji, head of retail banking of the Zenith Bank who represented the Group Managing Director Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, said the bank was happy that the tournament is making tremendous impact in motivating the top juniors to do well at the senior level and he had no doubt that in the coming years the tournament will propel them to do well in the world tennis circuit.
The tournament which lasted six days was organised by the International Tennis Academy.
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