The annual Gbolahan Odele Junior Tennis Tournament is gradually becoming a staple tournament in the Nigerian tennis circuit despite just being held for the only the third time.
Chief Gbolahan Odele, sponsor of the annual competition, hosted about 200 kids from 15 States across the federation to a week of high-level tennis competition inside the Adejumo Tennis Complex, Ejigbo, Lagos.
While the youth category, newly-introduced during the 2025 edition, is now a UTR event, the other youngsters competed against one another in the Boys and Girls U-12, 14 & 16 categories.
Mabubat Rasaki from Oyo State claimed the Girls’ U-12 title after a straight sets defeat of Abuja-based Oluwadabira Oluwaseyi which ended 4-2, 4-2 while the Boys’ U-12 event was won by Emmanuel Sandaf, who defeated Raphael Awi 4-2, 4-1.
Relentless Salvation Alex from the FCT got past Comfort Ekong 4-2, 4-2 to take home the Girls’ U-14 title while Goodluck Tersoo produced moments of magic to take out Barnabas Alex 5-4, 4-5. 10-7 and win the Boys’ U-14 title.
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Bisola Ogunkolade’s plan to exert her group stage loss to Emmanuella Kelvin hit the rocks after the Abuja-based player defeated her for a second time within a week to win the Girls’ U-16 title. Kelvin won 4-1, 4-0.
In the Boys’ U-16 final, Damilola Agunbiade failed to capitalize on his impressive run, as he lost 4-5, 1-4 to Abu Umar.
Alongside upgrading her UTR level, Ohunene Yakubu also went home with the winners’ trophy in the Girls’ Youth Category after defeating relentless Suwa Nenrot 6-2, 6-1 while Basit Ajao outplayed Musa Mahmud 6-2, 6-1 to win the Boys’ youth category.