Nigeria’s number one tennis player, David Ekpenyong, is leading the exit of a number of Nigerian players to US Colleges, Nigeria Tennis Live has gathered.
Ekpenyong, who until January, 2024, was the highest ranked Nigerian player in the junior ITF rankings, will be leaving for Texas this January to continue with his academics and tennis development in the United States.
Coach Ubale Mohammed who disclosed this via a chat with Nigeria Tennis Live, noted that the exit of Nigerian players to US Colleges will help the players have a fresh start to their tennis careers and education.
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“We are trying to get as many as possible of our junior players come over here to have a new beginning. Their tennis careers and education,” Ubale, Nigeria’s former national junior coach, stated.
According to him, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Open defending champion is not the only player leaving for the United States, as two other players will also be making the cut.
“Jebutu (Emmanuel) is currently training in our academy here in Texas before he moves to his College, David Ekpenyong, Suleiman Ibrahim, Mathew Clayton Abamu.
“David and Suleiman will be coming here in January while Abamu will join in July,” he told Nigeria Tennis Live.
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When asked about the nature of their scholarships, Coach Ubale informed that Ekpenyong is on a full scholarship while Suleiman is partial scholarship.
This implies that the latter may have to do extra work to meet up with the remaining part of his tuition fees while playing and studying in the United States.
Coach Ubale did not disclose the institutions the players will be resuming to in the United States, but he explained that “the schools are here in Texas, when they get here, I’ll give more details”.