Samson Ayodeji, the Founder of Naija Leap Sports, has hailed his Academy’s players for their outstanding performance at the just concluded VEMP Open Tennis Championship.
Of the academy’s 16 players who participated in the competition, only two of them were able to make it to the finals in the Men’s Singles and Doubles events.
Lucky Danjuma upset number two seed, Uche Oparaoji in the semis to take on Daniel Adeleye in the final, and even though he did not win, Ayodeji applauded his resilience in reaching his first ever senior national finals.
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The Naija Leap Sports boss also had kind words for Canice Abua, a semifinalist in the Men’s Singles event and a Doubles finalist, for his fighting spirit throughout the competition.
“Our journey at the VEMP Open was remarkable. Canice Abua, our Singles No. 1 Seed, reaffirmed his status as a formidable force, reaching the Singles Semifinals and becoming a Doubles Finalist. His consistent elite performance is a testament to his skill.
“Then there’s Lucky Danjuma. What a run! As a Singles Main Draw Entry, he defied expectations to reach the Singles Final and made it to the Doubles Semifinals. Lucky, you are a true rising star,” Ayodeji said in a chat with Nigeria Tennis Live.
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He reserved special praise for wild card entrant, Mevi Irimiya, who stunned bookmakers to defeat Iloputa Ikechukwu in the second round to reach an unprecedented quarterfinal.
According to him: “Who could forget Mevi Irimiya? Our Singles Wildcard Entry delivered one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, defeating a seeded player to reach the Singles Quarterfinals.
“Mevi, your determination was truly inspiring”.
Ayodeji reserved special commendation and praise to other players who participated in the VEMP Open event as well as their coaches. He said: “Abdulsalam Mohammed had a strong showing, qualifying for the Main Draw in singles and reaching the Singles Round 2 and Doubles Quarterfinals.
“Dahiru Mohammed and Mary Azi both gained invaluable experience in the Main Draw. To Nnamdi Alexander Oji, Aliyu Abubakar, Elisha Kwange, Daniel Kwange, Emmanuel Opeyemi, Job Adamu, Haruna Sani, Opeyemi Oladimeji, and Vanessa Simon – every one of you stepped onto that court and gave your all.
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“Your dedication and commitment to improvement are what make NaijaLeapSports Academy special.
“We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the coaches for their tireless efforts, the umpires for their fair officiating, and the organizers of the VEMP Open Championship for putting together such a well-executed and memorable tournament.
“And a major acknowledgment must go to Nigeria Tennis Live! Their outstanding coverage of the VEMP Open was simply phenomenal. From real-time updates and schedules to immediate results, and their incredible work in capturing memories with captivating videos and pictures, they brought the tournament to life for countless fans. Thank you for elevating Nigerian tennis through your dedication!”
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep reporting activities from the academy as it continues to promote tennis development in Nigeria and beyond.