Tennis: Atilola Tops West African U-14 Rankings

Nigeria’s rising tennis star Mofifunoluwa Atilola has surged to the summit of the West African U-14 rankings after an outstanding outing at the ITF/CAT Africa Junior Tennis Championship in Algeria.

The 12-year-old secured the regional No.1 position following a title-winning performance in the first leg of the championship, a result that also lifted her to fourth place in the overall African rankings — her highest continental standing yet.

Atilola showcased remarkable composure and tactical discipline throughout the tournament. She powered through the first leg with dominant displays, combining baseline accuracy with impressive court coverage to clinch the trophy. Carrying that momentum into the second leg, she advanced to the semi-finals before finishing fourth overall, capping a week that confirmed her consistency among Africa’s elite in her age category.

Her rapid ascent is even more impressive considering she only began competing regularly on the African Junior Circuit last year. Since then, she has compiled a string of strong performances in ITF and Confederation of African Tennis-sanctioned events, steadily climbing the rankings with each tournament.

The Algeria performance further establishes Atilola as one of Nigeria’s brightest emerging prospects in junior tennis and a growing force on the continental stage.

With her 13th birthday approaching in October, the youngster remains focused on building on her recent gains. If her current trajectory continues, Atilola could soon be challenging for the continental top spot while strengthening Nigeria’s presence on the African Junior Tennis Circuit.