The 3rd Maryam Babangida Memorial National Junior Tennis Championship ended at the Minna Sports Club, Niger State with Fortune Aniso and Godsgift Timibra both of Rivers State emerging champions in the Boys and Girls 14 & Under categories.
Joy Sunday of the FCT and Chidera Anozie of Niger were the winners of the Girls’ and Boys’ 12 & Under as they defeated Timipre Maxwell of Rivers and Musa Mohammed of Katsina respectively.
Fortune Aniso justified her top ranking as she defeated Oluwabunmi Are of Kwara with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 score to win the top prize in the girls’ category of the championship sponsored by El-Amin Foundation in memory of the former first Lady of Nigeria Mrs Maryam Babangida.
The match was billed to keep fans, which included Hon. Daniel Shashere, the Sorts Commissioner of Niger State, on the edge of their seat as Are had been in great form heading into the tournament having won the School Sports Festival Senior category while she also caused few upsets at the 2013 Central bank of Nigeria Open in Lagos.
Aniso was in the class of her own racing to a 5-0 lead in the opening set which set the tone for her all-round dominating display.
The performance inspired her teammate, Godsgift Timibra to equally record a straight 6-2, 6-4 win over Paul Kwange in the Boys’ final despite the army of supporters rooting for Kwange,who represented the hosts state.
National Junior Tennis Coach Mohammed Ubale stated that no fewer than six players that featuered in the tournament have been pencilled down to join the junior team this year.
El-Amin Foundation Executive Director, Mohammaed Babangida in his remark promised continuous funding of the tournament which featured 20 states across Nigeria.
