Tag: Gbolahan Odele

Over 200 young tennis players between the ages of 12 and 16 have registered for this year’s Gbolahan Odele age group tennis tournament.

The annual tournament which is now in its third edition is being staged by Badejo Sports with boys and girls expected to compete in the U-12, U-14 and U-16 categories respectively.

Iconic Adejumo Tennis Sports Centre will host the event expected to run between Monday , August 18^th  and Saturday, August 23^rd .

Sponsor of the event, Chief Gbolahan Odele, said  he’s  looking forward to an exciting display of tennis by the young smasher coming for the event.

Chief Odele said: “It has always been a good feeling to see young ones happy to be with one another and to also compete in a good atmosphere of love in the spirit of fair play.

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 “Again, it is an opportunity to expose these players more in the game so that they can be future champions for Nigeria.”

Tournament Director, Coach Dele Badejo, says this edition is unique because it will see the youngsters compete for Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) points.

 “If they do well here they will gain enough points that can take them to compete in global junior tennis circuits. We are always proud of this event because of the quality of players we see in every edition.

 “We expect a higher standard than that of last edition and I can also confirm that all arrangements have been concluded to make this event hitch free in all areas,” Badejo said.

David Edwards won the U-16 Boys category in the 2024 edition just as Goodness Aina won the U-16 cadre of the competition.

Winners at the weekend emerged during the second edition of the Gbolahan Odele Age Group tennis championship that took place at the Adejumo Tennis Sports Centre, Lagos.

Speaking with our correspondent, the sponsor of the tournament, Gbolahan Odele, said the tournament was simply awesome.

According to him the reason for organising the tournament is to give back to the society.

“How awesome; the tournament has been simply awesome,” he said. “The kids are having fun, which is the basic, the base for all what I hope for. I want them to enjoy themselves. Win, lose or draw, we must have fun. And we have been doing that.

“Although, we’ve had some challenges, some stoppages due to the little sporadic rain, but God is good. So, every time it rains a little, we dry the courts and then the kids play.

“My focus is to do something for Nigeria. Give back. The good book says you are blessed for a reason. We are blessed to be a blessing. That’s what my family is all about.

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“My other main reason is to turn around and watch the progress of each child that Coach Dele and myself have identified as great prospects. From this level to the highest level in tennis. And I’m talking about all the way to Grand Slams.”

On Saturday, Gloria Samuel defeated Success Godwin 6-2, 6-0 in the Girls 14 with the Girls 12 ending in favour of Omoyinka Ayinla who beat Mabubat Rasaki 4-0, 4-2 in the final.

Boys 12 was won by Goodluck Tersoo after defeating Usoh Daniel 4-2, 5-3. Goodness Aina also defeated Alice Paul 6-3, 6-4 in the Girls 16.

The second edition of Chief Gbolahan Odele age group tennis tournament has been scheduled to start on Monday August 19 in Lagos.

A total of 120 junior tennis players have already registered for the annual competition with high expectations to showcase their talents and get better in the sport.

The event being organized by Badejo Sports headed by Coach Dele Badejo will take place at the Adejumo Tennis Sports Complex in Ejigbo, Lagos. It could be recalled that the first edition took place in Ikeja.

Coach Badejo said  all was set for the age group competition aimed at catching them young in tennis.

“We have been working hard on the organizational aspects of the competition. We are ready and we expect the young ones to have a great time throughout the event,” Badejo said.

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Sponsor of the tournament, Chief Odele, said it was his way of keeping the young ones busy during the holidays and a deliberate effort to give back to the society.

“My intention is to make things and lives better than the way they are for the youths and people around me. We, the people, are the government and we must influence our own tiny locale with weighty intentions to make that small but effective difference in our local government area. We do not have to wait on the government to sponsor events such as this to showcase our greater tomorrows,” Chief Odele said.

The tournament is staged for Boys and Girls between the ages of 12 and 16. There will be U-12, U-14 and U-16 competitions in the male and female cadres.

The competition ends on August 24th.