Host Nigeria has listed 32 players for camping ahead of the 2016 ITF-Africa Junior Championship Zonal Qualifying Championship billed for 9th-17th of January, 2016 in Abuja.
Nigeria junior tennis coach, Mohammed Ubale disclosed that the camping will hold from January 2nd-8th after which the final list of 24 players will be selected for the championship which will feature 12&U, 14&U and 16&U categories.
Ubale revealed that Christopher Itodo, Chris Bulus, Michael Oshewa, Matthew Abamu, Angel McLeod, Adetayo Adetunji (South Africa), Oyinlomo Quadri are some of the players that are penciled down for camping stating that the players were chosen based on the combination of their rankings and performance in the outgoing year-2015.
He stated that the mission of the team is to consolidate on Nigeria’s outstanding performance last year ahead of the main championship billed for South Africa later in 2016.
“We are looking forward to a good championship as usual because we have produced the highest number of talents in the west and central African region in the last few years and through the support of the Nigeria Tennis Federation we are set to go and do Nigeria proud once again,” Ubale said.
Nigeria has been the superpower of the 14-country zone following its winning of the last two editions of the zonal qualifiers held in 2014 in Abuja and 2015 in Lome, Togo.
Meanwhile Nigeria’s tennis sensation, Oyinlomo Quardri arrived Nigeria on Tuesday to boost the country’s medal hope at the tournament which, among other countries, will feature Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and Gabon.
Quadri, 13, is the undisputed best player in the Girls’ 14&under category in West and Central Africa zone, a feat that earned her a one year ITF scholarship to Morocco. Her consistency throughout the year also earned her invitation to the Top 8 ITF Africa Junior Masters in Casablanca, Morocco in October where she reached the quarterfinal.
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