By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Abubakar Yusuf and Success Ogunjobi emerged champions of the sixth edition of the DavNotch National Open Tennis Championship, which concluded on Saturday at the Ifedayo Akindoju Centre Court of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Yusuf produced a commanding performance to defeat Nigeria’s top-ranked player, Canice Abua, 7-5, 6-1 in the men’s singles final, securing his maiden DavNotch title and ending a long run of defeats against his more experienced rival.
An emotional Yusuf described the victory as a dream come true, noting that overcoming a player he had admired and struggled against for years made the triumph even more memorable.
“He is my idol. We have been playing for the past six years and he has been beating me, but today I said it was a do-or-die affair. I capitalized on my opportunities and was able to beat him,” Yusuf said.
The new champion attributed his success to unwavering confidence and mental strength throughout the contest.
“I was 100 per cent confident because if my confidence dropped even one per cent, I knew he would take advantage. I stayed focused because I know what he can do,” he added.
Yusuf said his next ambition is to secure a place in Nigeria’s Davis Cup team, describing the DavNotch Championship as an important platform for showcasing local talent.
In the women’s singles final, defending champion Success Ogunjobi successfully retained her title after battling back from a set down to defeat Itoro Bassey 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Ogunjobi said the victory was particularly satisfying after losing to the same opponent in the final of the recently concluded 47th CBN Open National Tennis Championship.
“I feel excited because I lost to the same player at the recently concluded 47th edition of the CBN Open National Tennis Championship final. For me to meet her again in the final of this event and come back to win today makes this title very special,” she said.
The championship also produced exciting contests in the doubles and wheelchair categories.
In the men’s doubles final, the pair of Canice Abua and Musa Mohammed defeated Matthew Abamu and Michael Emmanuel 7-6(5), 3-6, 10-8 to claim the title.
Goodnews Aina and Success Ogunjobi captured the women’s doubles crown after overcoming Blessing Omotayo and Nenrots Suwa 6-4, 7-6(1).
In the wheelchair events, Andrea Usoh won the women’s singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Vivian Ozurunmba, while Alex Adewale secured the men’s wheelchair singles title after defeating Wasiu Yusuf 6-0, 6-1.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Managing Director of DavNotch Nigeria Limited, Emmanuel Ochei, announced a significant increase in prize money for future editions of the tournament. The men’s singles champion’s prize has been raised from ₦500,000 to ₦1 million, while the women’s singles winner will now receive ₦800,000.
According to Ochei, the decision reflects the company’s commitment to advancing tennis development in Nigeria.
“For us at DavNotch, it gives us joy because we are committed to inclusivity and the growth and development of tennis in the country. We have witnessed tremendous improvement, and I want to thank the President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Victor Ochei, the Secretary-General, Shammah Makpa, and the entire organizing team for putting together another successful championship in Abuja,” he said.
Describing the increase in prize money as only the beginning, Ochei reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to the tournament and expressed hope that more corporate organizations would support tennis development in the country.
“This is just the beginning. DavNotch is committed to this tournament as a long-term project, and we hope more partners will come on board to help develop tennis in Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the company’s vision is to help produce Nigerian players capable of competing with the world’s best while sustaining support for grassroots and wheelchair tennis. Ochei also paid tribute to former Nigeria Tennis Federation President, Dayo Akindoju, for his contributions to the growth of the sport.
Nigeria Tennis Federation President, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, also reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to repositioning Nigerian tennis through sustained reforms, increased competitions and strategic investments.
Speaking at the grand finale, he said the federation would continue to work with private-sector partners such as DavNotch Nigeria Limited to expand the domestic tournament calendar, create more ranking opportunities and expose players to high-level competition.
Ochei praised the standard of play displayed throughout the championship, describing it as evidence of the abundant tennis talent available in Nigeria. He urged players to remain disciplined and committed to excellence, assuring them that the federation would continue implementing reforms to strengthen the sport.
The six-day championship, organized by DavNotch Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the Nigeria Tennis Federation, once again highlighted the growing impact of public-private partnerships in sports development and the creation of opportunities for Nigerian athletes to compete and excel at both national and international levels.
