Chukwudubem Amasiani, Nigeria’s emerging precocious tennis talent, has qualified for the finals in two age groups – boys 12 and boys 14 – at the Sapetro Futures Tennis Championship taking place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.
This is the second of such feat in one month following the double titles he won at the SNEPCo Junior Invitational Masters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The ITA Junior Circuit gives wild cards to the top two juniors in a lower age group to play up one age group in order to fast-track their progress.
Amasiani breezed through his matches in the group stages and the semifinals where he beat Lebi Eniola from Ondo State 9 – 0 in the Boys 12 and Wisdom Paul-Effiong from the GEUF Tennis Academy in Akwa Ibom 9-2.
While he is favourite to win the Boys 12 against his younger brother Ikem, he would have to overcome a tougher Opponent, Onyekachi Ogumjiofor, 14, from Oyo State who has shown some talent and determination to get to the finals.
Interestingly, the player Amasiani beat to win the Boys 14 title in Yenagoa, Gbolahan Olawale from Ondo State was moved to the 16s and went on to upset the No.2 seed Kater Kpum from Benue 9 – 4 to reach the finals where he will face his teammate Henry Aina, the No.1 seed.
The Girls 14 finals will be between Lorelay Holzendorff from Edo State and Gloria Samuel from Ekiti while the Girls 12s title will be contested for by two Lagos-based rivals, Mofifunoluwa Atilola and Roseline Nana.
The weeklong tournament which is run by the International Tennis Academy, ends tomorrow Saturday with a grand finale starting at 12 noon.