After spending about three unbelievable weeks on the circuit in Nigeria, Adebola Obasoto, a 17-year-old Ireland-based Nigerian youngster who was visiting his country of origin for the first time, has heaped encomium on the locals.
The teenager who topped the charts in the United Kingdom as one of the best junior players, told Nigerian Tennis Live that what he was expecting in the country was not what he met when he got in.
He played could not qualify for the Main Draws of the first and last legs of the three-week long ITF Futures in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, but he got a wild card to play in the first round of the second leg (Dayak Tennis Championship). And even though he lost the match, he proved how much of a great player he is when he starred against Takanyi Garanganga, the Zimbabwean top pro.
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| Obasoto believes he can work on his serves and his game in general, to become a better player. |
Obasoto who also suffered under the scorching sun in Abuja, lamented bitterly, how things did not go his way, but remains ever resolute to right every wrong of the ITF Futures, being his first ever outing at the senior level.
“I didn’t expect things to be easy in Nigeria, quite frankly, because it was a pro-circuit tournament, a lot different from what I was used to.
“I met all that I expected, tough conditions, tough players to beat… yeah, pretty much what I expected,” he began.
He was also asked to explain what he thought was wrong with him that made it difficult for him to defeat the players he came up against.
The Irish number one junior star said: “I beat some of these players in practice, but lost to them in the real game. I think most of them have good serves, and that is what is lacking in my game. They use their serves well, to take control of the game which is difficult for me.
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| Obasoto suffered immensely under the biting weather during the tournament. |
“I’m going to improve my serve a lot more, and my net game because I feel like I don’t move enough.”
On his first time impression about his parent’s country of birth, the young man excitedly explained how friendly he found everyone to be immediately he got into the country.
“I think Nigeria is a very nice country. The people are friendly, friendlier than I thought. I didn’t think they’d be that friendly. But there are friendly people in Nigeria.
“I enjoyed suya, I ate a lot of suya. Suya is my favourite Nigerian food,” he said amid smiles.
The youngster is expected to represent Nigeria at competitions in the coming future as he gets integrated further into senior tennis tournaments.