Alafia Ayeni, a US-born Nigerian teenage tennis star, has defeated Ryan Shane, a higher ranked player to qualify for the main draw of the Champaign Challenger tournament in the United States of America, Nigerian Tennis Live checks have revealed.
The youngster who won his first ITF Futures in Canada early this year and rose to about 600 in the world, defeated the 24-year-old American in three sets of 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
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| Ayeni in a jubilant mood after winning one of the matches during a recent competition. Photo credit: Google |
In his second qualifying match, Ayeni (679) was responsible for the final set defeat of Shane – ranked 577 in the world – to set up a meeting against South Africa’s Ruan Roelofse, a former participant at the Lagos Open International Tennis Championships.
Recall that during an interview on the sidelines of the 2018 edition of the Lagos Open Championship, Ayeni made no secret his desire to become one of the best tennis stars of his generation, as he targets the Wimbledon.
He noted that his perseverance on the court and his ability to believe in himself even when the chips are down, have helped him soar on in matches.
The first round matches of the competition kick off on Tuesday, 13 November, and Ayeni told Nigerian Tennis Live that he is giving it his best shot to get a win and advance, even though it may be quite tasking.
Nigerian Tennis Live will keep monitoring the teenager’s progress in the competition and report to teeming tennis lovers across the globe.