Sometime in December, 2023, Emmanuel Jebutu left the shores of Nigeria for the United States, where he is currently playing College Tennis.
He is currently a Division 1 Junior College student at the Weatherford College in the United States where his team recently finished 11th in the United States.
Beyond all of these, however, the man fondly called Ijebu is not just an ‘also ran’ in the school, he has been a key component in his team’s quest for national trophies, and a main stay in the team that recently emerged 11th.
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Such was his contribution that he reached the quarterfinal of the nationals and only lost to eventual finalist during the encounter.
Asked how he has been able to manage this feat since his switch to the United States a few months ago, Jebutu told Nigeria Tennis Live that: “We have been playing a lot of ITA tournaments and I have been winning a lot as well, that’s how I was able to move up the rankings that quickly”.
The former Stadium boy is not resting on his oars, despite moving so quickly in a very short period of relocating to the United States, as he wants to keep winning and keep growing.
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When asked what his plans are for the nearest future, given his level of exposure and growth in the last few months, Jebutu was emphatic and direct in his response.
“My aim for the next season is to improve my tennis a lot because I am currently in the high performance training camp too, training with the top college players,” he told Nigeria Tennis Live from his Yankee base.
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“I will love to represent my country in big stages too because I feel I have played lots of matches and gained a lot of experience exposure and confidence.
“My aim is to keep my focus – no distractions and keep playing at the top level and I leave the rest for God,” he added.
Since Ijebu looks to be on the ascendancy at this period of his career and it will only a matter of time before he comes within the radar of national team handlers.