ITF Releases Latest Junior Rankings, See Where Nigerians Stand

Our Correspondent November 20, 2023

The recently-released Junior ITF Rankings have shown the progress or otherwise of Nigerian players, some of whom have been busy with competitions recently.

Nigeria’s number one male tennis player, David Ekpenyong (186), remains the top-ranked Nigerian junior on the ITF rankings even though he dropped three spots despite his second round reach at the recent Zapopan J300 event in Mexico.

He is closely followed by Daniel Adeleye (472), another Nigerian who has had an outstanding year in tennis despite dropping a spot. Abubakar Yusuf (918) and Joseph Franklin Jimoh (948) make up the list of Nigerians in the top 1000 of junior world rankings.

Ezekiel Azi (1185), who was the biggest mover in the rankings, jumped 74 places to go above Seun Ogunsakin (1220) while Odeh Monday (1250), who moved five spots is a bit ahead of Mubarak Ganiyu (1272).

Ikenna Prosper (1331) and Suleiman Ibrahim (1426) make up the top 10 of Nigerian boys in the junior rankings.

In the girls’ ranking, despite not playing any junior ITF event recently, Tunisia-based Ohunene Yakubu (865) continues to lead the pack while Etoro Bassey (1683), the buzzing tennis sensation from Akwa-Ibom follows in a distant second.

Newly-crowned National Champion, Khadijat Mohammed (1714) comes in third place, having dropped three spots recently. She is followed by Oiza Yakubu (1920) who still remains on the ranking despite leaving the junior cadre of tennis already.

Blessing Otu (2013) and Mary Udoffa (2192) come in at fifth and sixth respectively, Osaherun Osayimwen (2671), who has not played any junior tournament in recent years, follows in seventh position just as Sarah Musa (2877) joins in eighth.

Occupying the ninth and tenth positions on the list are Sunmisola Okajare (2963) and Destiny Okinhaye (3021) both of whom have not had really positive outcomes in their recent Junior ITF events.