Emerging junior tennis super talent, Amasiani, qualifies for two Sapetro Futures finals

Dubem Amasiani

Nigeria’s emerging precocious tennis talent, Dubem Amasiani, has qualified for two age groups (boys 12 and boys 14) at the Sapetro Futures Tennis Championship holding at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan. This is his second in one month following the double titles he won at the SNEPCo Junior Invitational Masters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The ITA Junior Circuit gives wild cards to the top two juniors in a lower age group to play up one age group to fast-track their progress.

Amasiani breezed through his matches in the group stages and the semifinals, where he beat Lebi Eniola from Ondo State 9 – 0 in the Boys 12 and Wisdom Paul-Effiong from the GAUF Tennis Academy in Akwa Ibom 9-4.

While he is favourite to win the Boys 12 against his younger brother, Ikem, he would have to overcome a tougher opponent, Onyekachi Ogunjiofor, 14, from Oyo State, who has shown some talent and determination to get to the finals.

Interestingly, the player Amasiani beat to win the Boys 14 title in Yenagoa, Gbolahan Olawale from Ondo State, was moved to the 16s and went on to upset the No.2 seed, Kater Kpum from Benue, 9 – 4 to reach the finals, where he will face his teammate, Henry Aina, the No.1 seed.

The Girls 14 finals will be between Logolay Holzendoff from Edo State and Gloria Samuel from Ekiti, while the Girls 12s title will be contested for by two Lagos-based rivals, Mufu Atilola and Roseline Nana.

The weeklong tournament, which was run by the International Tennis Academy, ends today with a grand finale starting at 12.00 noon.

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