Multi-talented kid Chukwudubem Amasiani’s meteoric rise in tennis and other sports, has taken the Nigerian sports scene by storm, writes ’TANA AIYEJINA
Close followers of Nigerian tennis are watching with rapt attention, there’s a new sheriff in town or if you like, a new kid on the tennis block.
At just 10, Chukwudubem Amasiani has effortlessly breezed through the challenging terrain of Nigerian tennis like a whirlwind in the desert.
The kid competed in his first national tournament, the 2021 SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship, just last November in Port Harcourt and triumphed, against all odds, over more-fancied opponents, from the round-robin stages to the final.
Before then, Amasiani had only won two 10 and under tournaments in Abuja, but he didn’t look like who was attending his first national championship ever.
Following the absence of the fast-rising Murewa Egbeyemi, Malcolm Osaji, runner-up in the last three ITA Junior Circuit tournaments before then, was favourite to win, but Amasiani had other ideas.
Duby, as Amasiani is fondly called, overwhelmed Osaji 9-2 in the final to emerge king of the boys 10 and under category.
“Chukwudubem is a great multi-sports talent,” Director of International Tennis Academy, Godwin Kienka, exclaimed after the SNEPCo tourney in Port Harcourt.
“His stroke production was effortless, fantastic footwork and the fact that he could come to a big stage like the centre court of a big club with so many dignitaries and play with so much confidence speaks a lot about his big heart.”
Amasiani has been uncomfortable playing in the 10 and under category, which he belongs, reason why he featured in the boys 12 and under category at the just-concluded Azimuth Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos.
He, however, lost to Ayoola Ozeni in the semis, after beating the CBN 10 and under champion in the quarter-finals.
The up-and-coming player is unperturbed and looks forward to another clash with Ozeni.
“I felt very sad because I didn’t play the game the way I usually played. I was afraid of losing, which wasn’t really my way, but I look forward to meeting this opponent again someday and winning.”
On why he prefers the 12 and under category to the 10 and under category, where he rightly belongs, Amasiani replied, “Right now, I strongly believe no 10 and under player can defeat me. I know this sounds very daring but I welcome the challenge. I am looking forward to playing more seniors because my goal is to compete in 16 and under category by the time I’m 12. I don’t have any reason to be afraid of playing seniors as long as I take my trainings seriously.”
Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Amasiani’s tennis coach since 2019, describes his player as “a raw diamond.”
Ibrahim said, “Duby is a special talent who has everything and still very young. He’s very good with the forehand, has power, good movement and technique for his age.
“Again, he’s playing against older players, that will make him learn very fast.”
Like Kienka noted, Amasiani is a multi-talented youngster who has also made his mark in football and swimming.
Born on June 24, 2011, the Primary 5 pupil of Sanctus Lumen Christi Schools, Abuja took interest in sports at five when the family went on a tour of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
“The kids (Amasiani and siblings) were so excited about the different sports (at the stadium) and wanted to try everything. We eventually narrowed down to swimming, gymnastics and tennis and participating mostly on Saturdays,” Amasiani’s mother, Judith, told our correspondent.
“When we found out a parent ran a football club close to our house, the boys abandoned tennis and gymnastics for football, only taking tennis trainings once in a while. The boys stuck with football three times a week, swimming once a week, while Duby’s sister continued with gymnastics twice a week and swimming once.”
The lad did sports for fun for a while, playing tennis and football, as well as engaging in swimming and gymnastics, but two years after he went into sports, aged seven, Judith discovered something about his son.
“That was when I realised how good he was handling the racquet,” she said. “Football, however, was still his love at that time, with different junior leagues and tournaments, winning some and losing some with his teammates.
“Duby also excelled in swimming at this time, becoming the best backstroke swimmer in his age category at the National Stadium swimming pool.”
She recalled his son’s first try at competitive sports, not one to relish, for a child who wants to win always.
“Duby started competitive tennis just before he turned 10, barely a year now. His first tournament was an FCT monthly event. He lost in the second round but wasn’t so beat up because as at that time football was still his thing.”
Amasiani hasn’t forgotten football, his first love, despite his strides in the tennis world, and has medals to show for his efforts.
The defensive midfielder is currently the captain of YoungStars FC, Abuja.
“I play in defensive midfield position, but I have scored many goals and provided assists too,” he said.
“I’ve participated in many club tournaments within the FCT, notably the Abuja Junior League in 2019, where we emerged winners of the tournament. At the last Abuja holiday tournament 2021, we also emerged winners.”
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His football coach Omoola Olanrewaju says the kid’s versatility is amazing.
“He can also play in defence; he is a ball-playing defender who has good control, his decision-making is good and has a great pass as well,” he said.
So, how has the kid managed to combine tennis and football, both tasking sports?
According to his mother, Amasiani undergoes tennis training thrice a week and football practice same number of times during school days, averagely two hours of intensive training.
“Trainings are usually after school hours, he goes directly from school to training. During the holidays, he gets more tennis training and sometimes takes one sport in the morning and the other in the evening, as he desires. His major training days and time, however, remains.”
The youngster admitted it’s been a tough battle combining both sports with education, but he gives kudos to his family for the support so far.
His siblings have also excelled in sports as well. Chiamaka, his sister, is a national gymnastics champion, while his younger brother, Ikem, is the current 10 and under tennis champion in the FCT.
“It’s actually not easy but my mum makes it less stressful by planning our day properly and seeing that we follow through. Also, having siblings that are equally competing is very encouraging,” Amasiani stated.
So, how has Judith managed such herculean task of monitoring their sports and education?
She said, “I really don’t know how, but I noticed the strategy we employed just works for the kids. We ensure there is no holiday in academics and sports, hence making both a way of life. Even during the holidays, there is time for studies and time for sports.
“Duby and his siblings constantly come top in class. As a matter of fact, after the last SNEPCo tournament in Port Harcourt, he got back to school a week to exams and still had the highest cumulative grade in his class.”
In Nigeria, a good number of educated parents would rather their children go to school than engage in sports, which is often seen as a preserve for less-privilege kids.
Judith’s little involvement in sports, perhaps helped in this regard.
“When I gained admission into the University of Ibadan, I had a roommate who thrilled us regularly with Taekwondo moves and I fell in love with the sport because I always wanted to be seen as daring.
“After almost two years training, I participated in NUGA Games but had to withdraw after a few fights because I had to leave for an international exam. Afterwards, I took sports as leisure, tennis and swimming my favourites.”
Superstars Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka are among the best paid athletes globally but lower ranked tennis players often struggle to make a living amid the expenses of travelling and coaching.
Over the years, tennis observers in the country have watched helplessly as immensely talented youngsters dropped out of the game due to lack of sponsorships and endorsements to further their careers.
The grassroots level, where Amasiani belongs, is equally financially tasking, reveals Judith.
She has to also cater for Chiamaka and Ikem, as she works towards building a sports empire.
“It’s not been easy at all,” Judith admitted.
“If it were only to pay the coach and deal with the wear and tear, I wouldn’t complain much but I realised that for my kids to excel in their sports, I needed to also support the less-privileged kids at the stadium because my kids need partners for progression.”
There’s perhaps the chance of Amasiani dropping one sport for the other on his way up, due to the strains, but for now, he’s focused on both and his role models are tennis superstar Djokovic and N’golo Kante, the Chelsea midfielder, who has won virtually all the top football titles on display.
“I just love their aggressiveness when they are competing. They never settle for less,” he added.
And he wants to break grounds like both superstars.
“I want to break world records and be a role model to people around the world.”
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