L-R: Vice Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro Sir Babatunde Sobamowo; The Champion, Student of Maryanne College Victoria Island, Lagos, Igbinovia Daniel; Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro Chief Engr Olawumi Gasper; The Champion, Student of Command Day Secondary school, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, Anuoluwa Odebode; and Secretary Board of Trustees, Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro. Sigismund Babaseyi Joseph during Yoruba Tennis Club 100th Anniversary Centenary Secondary school Lawn Tennis Championship Final Competition held in Lagos
By Kayode Olopade
The 12th edition of the Yoruba Tennis Club Secondary Schools Tennis Championship has ended in Lagos with the emergence of new promising talents, reinforcing the tournament’s reputation as a veritable platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian tennis stars.
The championship, organised as part of activities marking the 100th anniversary of the Yoruba Tennis Club, attracted promising student-athletes from secondary schools who competed for honours at the historic Greetings Grounds of the club in Onikan, Lagos Island.
At the grand finale, the Vice Patron and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro. Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, CON, represented by the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Bro. Babaseyi Joseph, expressed satisfaction with the quality of talents displayed by the young players.
Okunnu, while commending the organisers and participants, noted that the secondary schools championship had grown significantly since its inception and remained an important avenue for identifying young talents at the grassroots.
He disclosed that the youth championship, originally conceived by him, had produced tennis players who had progressed to compete at international levels.
He therefore called for greater encouragement and investment in young players, stressing the importance of providing them with opportunities to develop their talents and compete at higher levels.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro. Chief Olawumi Gasper, reaffirmed the club’s commitment to sustaining the annual championship as part of its contribution to grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
Gasper said the competition was designed to revive interest in tennis among students in public and private secondary schools while exposing young players to competitive tennis and facilities comparable to those available at the elite level.
He urged corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support school sports by investing in sporting infrastructure, equipment and development programmes that would enable young athletes to maximise their potential.
According to him, sustained investment in grassroots sports remains essential to building a strong pipeline of athletes capable of representing Nigeria at national and international competitions.
The championship also featured recognition and rewards for outstanding performers, with the winners receiving trophies and cash prizes, while other promising participants benefited from scholarship support and training gear aimed at supporting both their academic and sporting development.
In the Boys' Singles final, Igbinovia Daniel of Maryanne College, Victoria Island, Lagos, emerged champion, while Anuoluwa Odebode of Command Day Secondary School, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, won the Girls' Singles title.
The two champions were rewarded with trophies and cash gifts for their outstanding performances.
In his closing remarks, the Vice Chairman of Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro. Sir Babatunde Sobamowo, congratulated the winners and urged them to remain committed to improving their skills.
He also encouraged the runners-up and other participants not to be discouraged by their results, urging them to see the competition as part of their development journey.
“You may lose today, but there is hope of better performance in the nearest future if you don't give up,” Sobamowo said.
The conclusion of the 12th edition further underscored the Yoruba Tennis Club’s longstanding role in promoting tennis development and providing a pathway through which young athletes can progress from school-level competition to the national and international stage.
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