The best female tennis player in Nigeria, the sensational Oyinlomo Barakat Quadre.

Apex Tennis Academy tried several times to get an interview with Nigeria’s current number one female tennis champion before we finally succeeded. This was due to her busy schedule. Prior to the Corona Virus pandemic lockdown, Quadre won international tournaments in South Africa and Tunisa.

We are delighted to bring you her responses to ATA’s online questions:

At what age did you start playing tennis?

I started playing lawn tennis at the age of four.

Which schools did you attend?

I attended Maryanne Group of Schools until grade 7 when I began home schooling or online schooling via Global Student Network and Pennfoster. Presently, I am studying with Edoptions Academy.

Looking back at the long list of tournaments you have played, which ones are the most memorable personally for you so far? What is your most significant achievement in tennis so far?

As you said, I have played so many lawn tennis tournaments both in Nigeria and overseas at junior and senior level. My biggest achievement apart from becoming the best tennis player in Nigeria has to be getting to the quarter finals of the Lagos Open Tennis Tournament (in 2019). The Lagos Open Lawn Tennis Tournament (formerly known as the Governors Cup) features male and female players from over 35 countries. The tournament has been running annually for over 25 years.

Oyinlomo Quadre said, ‘although I really expect so much from myself, so far this one has been close to my heart’.

Apex Tennis Academy checked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) website today (15th June 2020) and observed that the International Junior ranking for girls last updated on 16th March 2020 has Quadre at number 132, tantalisingly close to the top 100. This is a significant milestone worthy of emulation.

Who has been supporting or providing you with inspiration through out your tennis career so far?

‘Well, my parents support me as much as they can. They see tennis now as a work place for me and they make sure that I am enjoying playing lawn tennis. For them, that is what matters the most. They are Muslims and firm believers that God has plans for everyone. So they just want me to keep trying hard in both tennis and school.

I also have two siblings who are very much interested in my tennis career. They try their best to motivate and help me understand better because they are actually really good tennis players too. They just did not end up as professional tennis players, but they know what it takes to want to play tennis professionally.

What advice would you give any young person who decides to pursue a career as a professional tennis player?

‘Well people ask me this particular question a lot and I am sure that players just starting out on their tennis journey hear the question too. My advice is that I want them to wake up every day and ask themselves these two questions: would Serena Williams have woken up this morning and not given 100% in practice? Also, how can I become the best if I do not practice harder than the best?’

‘I think these two questions should be able to tell you that everything is a process and you cannot get what you deserve if you don’t work for it! There is no way around hard work, embrace it!’