Inspired by the successes of former junior starlets, Marylove Edwards and Angel McCleod, who are both pursuing professional tennis careers at the IMG Tennis Academy in Florida, USA, over 160 junior players have registered for the 2018 SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship.
Nigerian Tennis Live gathered that the tournament which will serve off at the National Stadium, Surulere, on Tuesday, 22 May, 2018, will climax at the Ikoyi Club on Saturday, 26 May, 2018.
According to the International Tennis Academy, organizers of the junior tournament, this will be the first time a national junior championship will take place at the club which had only hosted the Ikoyi Club Senior Masters in the recent past.
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| Marylove Edwards starred at the SNEPCo Junior Tennis tournament before launching her professional career outside the country. |
The SNEPCo Junior championship is featuring competitions in four categories – boys and girls 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under and 16 & under with the preceding rounds taking place at the national stadium tennis centre.
In a statement released by the organisers, it was further gathered that playing the finals at the Ikoyi Club is a privilege well appreciated because it will expose the enormous talents at the junior level to potential sponsors.
“The juniors are highly motivated and challenged by the break Marylove Edwards and Angel Mcleod (former champions of the SNEPco tournament) have to pursue professional tennis careers at the IMG Academy in America and we are ex[ecting the tournament to be well subscribed and competitive,” the statement added.
Over 160 players have so far registered for the event with arrivals and screening expected to be completed Monday.
Nigerian Tennis Live will keep tabs on activities at the junior tennis championship and report to updates from the competition.