Nigeria Content Online

As
the national junior tennis team continues to prepare for the 34th
African Junior Tennis Championships (AJC) in Botswana, coach of the
team, Mohammed Ubale says he is happy that the preparation has coincided
with the 12th edition of the NNPC/Chevron Junior Masters Tennis
competition.

The Chevron tourney
currently on at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, will run till March 27, the
date of the team’s departure to Botswana.

“There is nothing
like being in competitive mode when you are going for a tournament like
the AJC. The players will be training and playing at the same time – and
the Chevron Masters is a good way to keep the players in top shape,”
Ubale said.

He added that his players will be training and playing matches until the day of their departure to Gaborone.

“It is good for the
players and the coaches because we are able to witness their
temperaments in competition mode and make corrections.”

Nigeria secured five
berths in the Botswana tourney courtesy of its strong performance in
Ghana in January, where Team Nigeria overwhelmed Ghana to place first
while Samuel Omoile who will be competing in the 18 and Under category
qualified on account of his ITF ranking.

The qualifiers for Botswana are selected from the best 25 players in each of the categories.

Umoru Balami, who
will be competing in the 16 and Under, lost the final match in Winneba,
Ghana to Senegalese, Seydou Diallo while Sarah Adegoke also lost the
female 14 and Under final but won the ITF Satellite competition in Togo
in February.

The other players
who will be representing Nigeria in Botswana are Folarin Akosile in the
16 and under female category, Joseph Imeh – who came second in Ghana in
the male 14 and under category.

The Confederation of
African Tennis (CAT), picked between March 28 and April 9, 2011 as the
new date for the Africa Junior Tennis Tournament in Gaborone, Botswana,
after taking the hosting rights away from Egypt because of internal
problems.

The team began their training yesterday (Monday) in Lagos and are expected to depart for Gaborone on March 27, 2011.