Togo 2015 ITF Junior Championship: Serena, Venus Inspire Nigeria’s Holmes

Nigeria’s Lolade Holmes says she is inspired by American tennis superstars, Venus and Serena Williams and has declared intention to put up a top-class performance at the 2015 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Championship which will serve of from January 9-14 in Lome Togo.

Holmes partnered her younger sibling, Reya to take on the sisters, who have won a combined 25 singles Grand Slams, in an exhibition match in Lagos when the Williams sisters came on tour to Nigeria in October 2012.

And with the championship holding at the Stade Omnisports, Lome being the first time that she will be representing Nigeria, the 13-year-old right-hander is optimistic setting off at an ITF event on an impressive note.

“Playing with Serena and Venus Williams has inspired me a lot in tennis because it’s a great privilege to step on court with two of the greatest female players in tennis,” Holmes, born of an American father and a Nigerian mother, said after the team’s training in Lagos on Wednesday.

2015 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Championship, Lome, Togo,

Homles added, “I’m determined to put on my best to help Nigeria to be among the top countries at the tournament because I have always been looking forward to play for Nigeria.”

National junior tennis coach Mohammed Ubale also expressed confidence in the players as he projected a great outing for Nigeria.

“All the players are in good spirit. They have been playing well since we started the closed camping on Monday. We are set to go and I’m looking forward to a very good outing in Togo,” he said.

Nigeria recorded remarkable outings at ITF junior tournaments in 2014 with most of the country’s players finishing in top positions.

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ITF West & Central Africa Junior Championship: Nigeria Targets Another Dominant Outing

After their splendid performances which saw them dominate most of the tournaments across the continent last year, Nigerian players will be the cynosure of all eyes as the 2015 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Championship serves off in Lome, Togo from January 9-14.

The eleven-man team, under the tutelage of Mohammed Ubale has been perfecting strategies for yet another impressive outing since the start of the week in Lagos. They are scheduled to depart for the tournament on Thursday.

2015 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Championship, Lome, Togo,

The players are Martins Abamu, Godsgift Timibra, Michael Ayoola, Oshewa Michael Mathew Abamu (all boys) while the girls players are Angel McCleod and Adetayo Adetunji, Oyinlola Quadri, Lolade Holmes, Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) President, Engr. Sani Ndanusa stated that the players were chosen based on the combination of their rankings and performance in 2014.

He disclosed that the mission of the team is to consolidate on Nigeria’s outstanding performance last year.

“We are looking forward to a great tournament in Togo and by extension the whole year ahead because we want to achieve a better result than what we had last year which no doubt ranks as one of our best in recent years. Our target is to raise the bar further by posting a far more impressive result this year,” Ndanusa declared.

Nigeria started last year by dominating the West and Central African Zonal Elimination Championship held in Abuja with 12 of its players bagging the zone’s 20 slots in the African Championship held in Nairobi, Kenya.

More eye-catching performances by Nigerian players were to follow at ITF junior tournaments in Togo and Benin where, among other of his compatriots, youngster, Joseph Imeh launched himself into prominence by winning the boy’s U-18 title in Lome and he reached the final in Cotonou a week later to move up considerably on the ITF junior rankings.