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| Nigeria’s Joseph Imeh will travel to the American Academy next month |
One of Nigeria’s top junior tennis players, Joseph Imeh, has been rewarded for his outstanding performance last year with a tennis scholarship at South Carolina Tennis Academy in the United States of America, USA.
Imeh, who competed in all the local senior championships last year, rose from being among the top 1500 junior players to about 380 in the world, a feat which he achieved at the ITF Junior Circuit in Togo.
The Semifinalist at the 2014 Ekiti All Nigeria Tennis Open, Naija Tennis Special gathered, was supposed to have left the country before now, but could not get funds to prosecute the trip, hence the delay.
All is now set for the junior star to make the move to the US-based tennis Academy for the remaining part of the scholarship deal.
Abel Ubiebi, whom Imeh has always paid tribute to for helping his fledgling career, told our correspondent that the arrangement between the Academy and himself is to allow the youngster attend local tournaments when the call arises.
The coach with ACES Tennis Academy in Lagos said: “I cannot just allow him stay there without competing in local tournaments here.
“Although we wasted six months out of the one-year package that we were given because we could not get funds, I am sure that he will still achieve a lot within the remaining period.
“I believe that he has worked really hard to come this far and I am sure that this scholarship will open more doors for him and make him a better individual in the nearest future.
“I will be in the States myself, to discuss with the Academy Coach, because he(Imeh) might have to shuttle between the US and Nigeria when we have our national tournaments here.”
Meanwhile, Ubiebi, who also coaches former CBN Open Women’s Singles winner, Ronke Akingbade, hopes to see the former national champion back at her very best.
“I am tipping her to shine this year because we have put a lot of work in training and I believe she has what it takes to come out tops this year, especially beginning with the CBN Open,” the vastly-experienced coach noted.
Imeh, who competed in all the local senior championships last year, rose from being among the top 1500 junior players to about 380 in the world, a feat which he achieved at the ITF Junior Circuit in Togo.
The Semifinalist at the 2014 Ekiti All Nigeria Tennis Open, Naija Tennis Special gathered, was supposed to have left the country before now, but could not get funds to prosecute the trip, hence the delay.
All is now set for the junior star to make the move to the US-based tennis Academy for the remaining part of the scholarship deal.
Abel Ubiebi, whom Imeh has always paid tribute to for helping his fledgling career, told our correspondent that the arrangement between the Academy and himself is to allow the youngster attend local tournaments when the call arises.
The coach with ACES Tennis Academy in Lagos said: “I cannot just allow him stay there without competing in local tournaments here.
“Although we wasted six months out of the one-year package that we were given because we could not get funds, I am sure that he will still achieve a lot within the remaining period.
“I believe that he has worked really hard to come this far and I am sure that this scholarship will open more doors for him and make him a better individual in the nearest future.
“I will be in the States myself, to discuss with the Academy Coach, because he(Imeh) might have to shuttle between the US and Nigeria when we have our national tournaments here.”
Meanwhile, Ubiebi, who also coaches former CBN Open Women’s Singles winner, Ronke Akingbade, hopes to see the former national champion back at her very best.
“I am tipping her to shine this year because we have put a lot of work in training and I believe she has what it takes to come out tops this year, especially beginning with the CBN Open,” the vastly-experienced coach noted.