Edwards Stuns Top Seed Ogunsakin as Debutant Atilola Wins J30 Singles Title

Edwards Stuns Top Seed Ogunsakin as Debutant Atilola Wins J30 Singles Title Sport | 6 seconds ago David Edwards pulled off a major upset on Saturday to win the boys’ singles title at the first leg of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 tournament, while 13-year-old debutant Mofifunoluwa Atilola captured the girls’ singles crown. Edwards defeated top seed Seyi Ogunsakin 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 in a fiercely contested final. After taking the opening set 6-4, Edwards lost momentum as Ogunsakin blanked him 6-0 in the second. However, Edwards regained his composure in the deciding set, raising his game to secure a 6-2 victory and halt Ogunsakin’s impressive run. In the girls’ singles final, first-time entrant Atilola outclassed eighth seed Bright Emmanuel in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-1. Displaying confidence, consistency, and sharp shot selection, the 13-year-old controlled the match from start to finish to cap a remarkable debut. Atilola later completed a double-title sweep in the girls’ doubles final, teaming up with Goodnews Aina to defeat Adesewa Olaniyan and Gloria Samuel 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile, Ogunsakin bounced back from his singles loss in the boys’ doubles final, partnering with Stanley Oriala to edge out Elisha Kwange and Gbolahan Olawale 6-4, 3-6, 13-11. Speaking after his upset victory, Edwards attributed his success to tactical discipline. “I was strategic on the court and followed the game plan my father gave me,” he said, describing the competition as tough but enjoyable while expressing hopes to improve further in the second leg. Atilola credited her breakthrough win to focus and self-belief. “My performance was very good. I stayed focused, remained in the game and believed in myself,” she said. She thanked tournament sponsors—including Pocari Sweat, Peak, and MTN—for keeping players energized, and urged organisers to sustain the event. “We need more tournaments like this so we can earn points in our home country,” she added Runner-up Emmanuel expressed disappointment over the loss to an opponent she had previously defeated, though she acknowledged Atilola’s rapid growth. “I feel bad because I beat her the first time, but she has improved,” Emmanuel said, vowing to train harder and study her game ahead of the next round of matches. Tournament coordinator Abimbola Okubewa praised the strong showing by homegrown talent, noting a stark contrast from previous editions. “Last year, Europeans dominated the tournament, but this year, Nigerian players dominated the semi-finals and finals. The improvement has been immense,” said Okubewa, a former chairman of the Ikoyi Club Tennis Section. He revealed that organisers aim to host four to five similar tournaments annually to help Nigerian juniors build professional careers and climb toward the top 50 or top 100 rankings. Echoing this sentiment, Lagos Country Club member Matthew Holmes described the seven-day competition as a major success and called on corporate organisations to invest in junior tennis. “These tournaments need to happen regularly to expose young players to high-level competition,” Holmes said. The tournament, which attracted young players from nine countries vying for international ranking points, is being staged in two legs. Following the conclusion of the first leg (Nov. 2–7), players will return to the courts for the six-day second leg scheduled to run from November 9 to November 14.