David Ekpenyong, current Nigerian number one male tennis player, has emerged as the number one male tennis player in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) rankings.
The Davis Cup player fondly called Mr. Lanky, represents Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) in the Red River Athletic Conference and was their star player throughout the last tennis season.
In 2024, Ekpenyong became the first player ever to lead the school to the final of a nationals, and he ended the year as the NAIA number two player on the ranking.
However, in a recently-released ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the lanky Nigerian player has moved into the summit of the rankings in the NAIA, a feat which was widely celebrated by his institution in the United States.
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Nigeria Tennis Live gathered that Ekpenyong, a former Abuja-based tennis star leads the pack with a 13-1 record, leading his institution to third place in the Men’s Rankings.
Also outstanding last weekend was Wilson Igbinovia, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAUM) in Florida.
Igbinovia who was a member of Nigeria’s all-triumphant team in Abuja, when Nigeria gained promotion to World Group II Playoffs in 2024, has been one of his institution’s best players in recent months.
Since February, 2025, the former Lagos-based tennis sensation has won his school’s Player of the Week award for the third consecutive time, and looks set to have cemented his spot as one of the top players in the institution.
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Nigeria Tennis Live checks revealed that at the Men’s Division II University, Igbinovia has a 10-2 record which has moved his school into the top 10 of the NCAA rankings.
Another player who shone like a star last week was Serena Teluwo, the Shaw University tennis team talented player.
Teluwo was adjudged the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) player of the week after some spectacular performances by the player.
The former student of Darlington School in the United States, where she completed her high school education, has been quietly going about her business in her school including leading them to back-to-back appearances at the CIAA final, defending their titles in the process.
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Teluwo once told Nigeria Tennis Live that she believes she is ready to represent Nigeria at the Billie Jean King cup event after her consistent performances in her school.
Nigerians will be looking forward to more outstanding performances from the players who have been making the country proud in recent months.