Nigeria’s rising tennis star, Seun Ogunsakin, marked his Roland Garros debut with a victory over France’s Lenny Couturier in the boys’ singles qualifying event on Thursday, overcoming the home favourite in straight sets to boost his hopes of reaching the main draw of the junior tournament.
He won the match 6-2, 6-4, showcasing composure and resilience throughout the contest, which lasted about one hour and 30 minutes.
The Nigerian stayed aggressive from the baseline and took control in the first set to gain the advantage over the French youngster.
The second set proved more competitive as Couturier attempted to force his way back into the match in front of the home crowd.
However, Ogunsakin maintained his intensity and responded strongly under pressure, matching his opponent point for point in several long rallies.
With Couturier pushing hard in the closing stages, the Nigerian produced crucial winners and held his nerve during decisive service games before eventually sealing the second set 6-4 to complete the victory and move closer to a place in the main draw.
Ogunsakin, 17, will find out his opponent in the final qualifying round on Friday.
The result marks another significant step in Ogunsakin’s development on the international junior circuit as he continues to establish himself among Africa’s promising tennis talents on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
The Ekiti-born player has enjoyed a steady rise in the junior rankings this season.
His recent success includes winning the ITF J200 Africa Regional Championship in Cairo, Egypt, where he defeated Botswana’s Ntungamili Raguin in the final to secure one of the biggest titles of his young career.
Before travelling to France, he competed at the J300 Charleroi event in Belgium, where he upset third seed Kanta Watanabe to reach the quarter-finals.
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