Gabriel Friday has emerged winner in the under-14 boys category of the North-Central Zonal Tennis Junior Championship (NCZTJC).

Friday defeated his counterpart from FCT Musa Sani, in sets of 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 at the finals on Saturday at the National Stadium, Abuja.

In other final matches, Sulieman Ibrahim from FCT beat Ali Abubakar 6-1, 6-1, while Ahmed Lawal from Plateau emerge winner taking Saminu Abubakar of FCT 6-3, 6-2. In the under-14 girls, Hamidat Abdulrasaq from Kwara defeated Naomi Sunday of FCT 6-4, 6-4 while Joy Sunday took out Esther Azi also from FCT 6-1, 6-0.

The winners and finalists told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that they were excite with the championship.

Friday said that he was excited about the entire championship and commended the organisers of the event. "I am happy about the whole event and emerging winner makes it even better because I never knew that I will win.

"Due to the fact that I started poorly in the first set and gradually came back strong in the second and third sets. "Also will thank the organisers and to tell them that we the children in the FCT are grateful for the support to take tennis to the next level," he said.

Sani said that the event was a good one considering it’s the first of its kind, adding that it would prepare them for the Africa Junior Championship (AJC) in South Africa.

"The event was a good one for us being the maiden edition. We are thankful to the sponsors and this will prepare us for the AJC in South Africa.

"We pray it continues like this in order to develop the sport in Nigeria," Sani said. NAN reports that seven states; FCT, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara, Kano and Kaduna, participated in the championship.

The maiden edition of the NCZTJC was sponsored by Dayak Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the FCT Tennis Association and Nigeria Tennis Federation. (NAN)