Father propels son to first major kiddies' tennis

Fifteen years after, the yeilds have been so much that, the National Tennis coach, Rotimi Akinloye could hardly count them on his finger tips.  Some of the products have made the country proud, while some others, unable to flow with the fast tides of the game, have decided to go other ways.

Today, the music still goes on.  More and more babies are born and more and more kiddies are falling in love with the game of tennis.  Such is the story of  Coach Odey Ogrinya, who was a national tennis player; and has vowed that, his son Austin Ogrinya, must tow his shuttling feet on the tennis court.

So, five years ago, when Austin was only four, his daddy, felt that it was time to teach him the first lessons in tennis; alongside his teething academic works.  Four years after, boy Austin has not only known how to grip the racquet, but now can move his feet on the court to the admiration of older folks.

At the just concluded 15th MILO GRAND SLAM FOR DA FUTURE, held on the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos tennis courts, it was little surprise that nine-year old Austin Ogrinya came out smoking to the top of the Under-10 category of 64 draws with only 5 byes.

It was his first major tennis outing.  It was Austin's first tennis tournament outside his Calabar, Cross Rivers State base.  It was his first tennis baptism inside the heart of Lagos - a Nigerian city known for its jet-age cruise; it was the very first time nine-year old Austin would play before a large crowd, comprising children and parents.

Against his Lagos-bred opponent, Chibuzor Nweje, Austin could hardly cope with the ferocious smashes and serves he had to grappled with in the first set.  Such power-loaded strokes accompnied with court banters, Chibuzor learnt from cable tennis players, dazed the Calabar boy...he had to let go the first set: 3-6.

That was all Chibuzor could get.  Little Austin had to wake up from his village boy slumber; he had to face the reality of playing in Lagos, the city known for its show-offs. Pronto, Austin snatched the second set off his opponent at 6-1 and smashed on to victory with another 6-1 in the third set.

''I was annoyed...very annoyed in the first set because I was loosing.  I thought I was going to loose just like that, after I had fought so hard to get to the finals.  The support for my opponent was so much, that I thought I was not playing tennis at all.

''But even when I had lost the first set by 3-6, my father, who is my coach, was still telling me that I would win. He told me to keep going and that I was doing well.  He said I should forget the cheering of my opponent's supporters.  He told me that if I could loose 3-6 in the first set,  then nothing could stop me from beating my opponent in the remaining sets.

''So, I kept a cool mind and head, played my game to the best of my knowledge.  When I won the second set 6-1, I woke up...I believed what my coach (my daddy) told me.  I picked up courage and continued to play my game and I won again 6-1 and that was all!'' Austin recalled excitedly.