New ITF Ranking: Ogunsakin Now Nigeria’s No 2, Sneaks Into Top 40 In Africa
After back-to-back J30 Abuja titles, wonderkid Seun Ogunsakin has risen to become Nigeria’s second-highest ranked junior player on the ITF rankings.
The rankings released on Monday afternoon showed that the Ekiti-born teenager is now rated 596 in the world after his superlative performance at the just concluded J30 events held in Nigeria’s Federal capital.
Prior to the start of the tournament, the Aurum Tennis Academy starlet was ranked 1129 by the world tennis governing body, but after his wins over two legs, he now sits comfortably in the top 600 of world juniors.
By this feat, Ogunsakin is now Nigeria’s number two ranked player on the junior ITF ranking, just behind Daniel Adeleye, whom he defeated twice on his way to winning the titles across both legs.
The Tunisia-based youngster is also the 33rd player on the African log and was the biggest mover in the recently released rankings, moving 164 places, more than anyone else in the top 40.
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Ikenna Prosper Okonkwo, another Aurum Tennis Academy player, was obviously one of the biggest movers after reaching the J30 finals where he lost to Ogunsakin. He is now ranked 785 in the world after moving 175 places in the latest junior rankings by the ITF.
Another player whose performances across both legs of the J30 Abuja events did not go unnoticed, Yahaya Sani Inabo, also moved very far on the log as he closes up on the top 1000.
For his efforts in reaching the semis of the tournament where he lost to Okonkwo, Inabo now sits 1306th in Africa, having moved 216 places in the new ranking.
In the Girls’ rankings, Ohunene Yakubu, winner of the first leg and a finalist in the second, remains Nigeria’s top female player on the ITF ranking.
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She is now in the top 600 of the world rankings (586) despite losing the Girls’ Singles final to power-playing Khadijat Mohammed.
Etoro Bassey (1073) maintains her firm grip on the second spot, while Blessing Otu (1373), who reached the semis of the second leg, remains Nigeria’s number three rated player on the ITF Ranking.
Mohammed who reached the quarterfinal of the first leg and won the second leg of the tournament is now holding the fourth spot in Nigeria. She moved a whopping 1399 places to rank 1418 in the world, although her issues with her i-pin may have stopped her from ranking higher.
Cross River-based Toluwalashe Agunbiade breaks into the top 10 after moving 493 places to now rank 2324 while Success Ogunjobi is ranked 2163 just slightly above Agunbiade.
Destiny Okhinaye and Osaherun Osayimwen moved 140 and 39 places to rank 1690 and 1659 respectively in the world.
