Mofi Atilola, Nigeria’s precocious tennis talent who recently won the Zenith Next Generation Masters as a wild card, will be excluded from all International Tennis Academy (ITA) Junior Circuit tournaments except the Central Bank Junior Championships.
Atilola who will be 13 years old next month (September)) is being pushed into the senior ranks because of the level of her skills. She will therefore be missing when the NNPC/SNEPCO InvitationalJunior Masters serves off Tuesday.
Godwin Kienka, director of the International Tennis Academy said “””as a matter of fact, any junior who plays in the finals of the Next Gen Masters will be excluded from our junior tournaments because we are sure they are ready for the seniors.””
Other players affected are Goodnews Aina who beat the No.1 senior women’s player in the 2005 CBN Championship but missed the senior tournament this year because of exams. She lost to Atilola in the Next Gen finals. Seyi Ogunsakin and Joshua Maxwell, winner and runner-up at the 2026 Next Gen Masters respectively, are also excluded.
Mr Kienka said the decision was taken after due consultation with their coaches and parents.
” We have precedents. Coco Gauf of the USA turned pro at 14 and attained
World No. 2 by the age of 20. Clara Udofa from the ITA became senior champion of Nigeria at 14 and became the first WTA ranked Nigerian professional at 16. If we manage Goodnews and Mofi properly, they will be successful tennis professionals.” the director said.
The director further said that the only exception will be the Central Bank Junior Championship because of the stakes attached to it. The Academy has promised a N500, 000 reward to any player who wins the junior and senior tournaments in the same year.
Goodnews came close in 2025 winning the juniors and reaching the semifinals of the senior event.
