Lucky Danjuma is a 17-year-old Nigerian tennis player who resides in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital. But his passion for tennis seems to be lacking the right push.
Since he started his tennis career in 2010 inside the National Stadium in Abuja, it has been one challenge after the other for the Nigerian teenage tennis sensation.
His love for the game of tennis has kept him going, but it has not been sufficient for the youngster after the loss of both parents.
“I’m still in SS1, but without any of my parents. I am just with my siblings. My parents have both passed away. My dad died in February, 2024 while My mum passed away in 2014,” a distraught Danjuma began during the chat with Nigeria Tennis Live.
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Continuing, he said: “I self-fund from money that I make from playing tournaments and there’s a man who often helps out. He was the one who gave me some money to register in school.
“My plan is to play tennis after my high school education. I want to play ATP tennis. But it’s really hard in this country where there’s no form of sponsorship”.
Despite the frustrations of not getting the support that he needs, the eighth highest ranked Nigerian player on the junior ITF ranking is not without motivation.
He said: “I’m motivated by the fact that there were a lot of people who, like me, didn’t have sponsors but still kept playing and eventually made it.
Danjuma knows his tennis so well and it is therefore no surprise that he’s a huge fan of Alexander Xverev’s “because I like the way he plays and I feel like he’s the player whose style I’d love to copy.
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“Sylvester Emmanuel is, for me, the best among other Nigerian players. I like his tennis style and the way he plays. He’s my tennis role model in Nigeria”.
It has not been all gloomy for the tennis youngster who has represented Nigeria at junior tournaments outside the country.
He has also had happy days in the sport, and he shared one of such days with Nigeria Tennis Live.
“My happiest day in tennis was the first day I saw a tennis court with my eyes. I never knew of a tennis court before I stepped on one,” he said excitedly.
But beyond all of those, the most important thing on the mind of this tennis youngster is to reach the top and he is reaching out for help to move his tennis forward.
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According to him: “I will be really glad if I can get sponsorship to play. If I can get a sponsor, I’m ready to play because tennis is not that difficult with sponsorship.
“My late dad really wanted me to play tennis, but for my mum, I wouldn’t have been able to say.
“My dad kept motivating me, he was my everyday inspiration and my number one fan. He urged me on and asked me to keep moving”.
Hopefully, a kindhearted Nigerian can look in the direction of this talented player and help push this dream of his to the best possible height.