Reports have it that the Nigerian team to participate in next week’s African Junior Championship 12 & Under qualifying event in Cotonou, Benin Republic and are set to depart the country on Sunday, 3 March.
According to information made available on the website of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), the Abdulmumin Babalola-led team will be camping with other African players ahead of the qualifiers.
In the girls’ category, FCT’s Salamatu Haruna, Niniola Ajulo of Ogun State, and Oyo’s Imole Afolabi will make the cut while Seun Ogunshakin from Ekiti State, FCT’s Idris Mohammed, and Rivers’s Precious Ikeuba lead the charge in the boys’ category.
Seun Ogunshakin is one of Nigeria future tennis stars.
The website was quoted thus: “The players will join other teams from different West & Central African nations in Cotonou in a training camp already organized by the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT).”
Mrs. Mariam Akande, the Secretary-General of the NTF, explained that the training camp will span two days before the tournament begins.
She said: “The players have been undergoing training individually for some time now.
“So, no more camping [in Lagos as earlier thought]. The CAT is organising a training camp for all the participating teams.
“They [the team] are travelling on the 3rd of March now. The programme [training camp] is 4th and 5th of March. They assemble in Lagos on [Saturday] the 2nd of March and travel on [Sunday] the 3rd of March.”