Young stars shine as international tennis classic concludes in Lagos

The third edition of the International Tennis Classic concluded in Lagos after two days of energetic and highly competitive fixtures across the Under-7 to Under-14 categories.

The tournament drew an impressive turnout, with several top schools fielding their brightest young athletes in a contest for medals, trophies, and supremacy.

Organiser of the event, Coach Henry Shedrack, expressed satisfaction with the success of this year’s outing.

He said that the next edition would be upgraded into a week-long tennis festival to provide deeper engagement and more development opportunities for young players.

He underscored the importance of grassroots tournaments such as the International Tennis Classic in keeping young athletes competitive, fit, and mentally ready for higher levels of the sport.

He called on corporate organisations to emulate the efforts of the Italian School in supporting grassroots tennis development.

He also urged increased investment in youth tennis initiatives nationwide, noting that such support is key to strengthening the sport’s future.

With a new president at the helm of the Lawn Tennis Federation of Nigeria, Shedrack affirmed that stakeholders are prepared to collaborate fully with the federation’s forthcoming programmes aimed at advancing tennis across the country.

The Girls’ Under-14 final was one of the day’s standout highlights, as Favour Egbemite edged Ireoluwa Oduwale 7–5 in a tightly contested match.

Another contest featured Celia and Oliver, both of The British High School, with Celia prevailing 4–2 in a hard-fought encounter.

In the Girls’ Under-13 category, Adisa Balogun claimed a 4–1 victory over Ella Egbemiye, while the Boys’ Under-10 final saw Moroti Sowemimo defeat Abdulsalam Azeem 4–2 in a spirited showdown.