Blessing Samuel I want to improve my Governor’s Cup performance

How early did you start playing tennis?I started very early. Let me say at 6 years I was already playing tennis. At 10 I started playing in the junior circuit.There are so many other sports, why did you choose tennis?I love playing tennis. I am passionate about the sport because I grew up in a […]

How early did you start playing tennis?
I started very early. Let me say at 6 years I was already playing tennis. At 10 I started playing in the junior circuit.
There are so many other sports, why did you choose tennis?
I love playing tennis. I am passionate about the sport because I grew up in a tennis family. My dad was a tennis player and now he is my coach. It is something I grew up with.
Did your parents encourage you to play tennis?
Like I said, my dad was a tennis player. So when I showed interest in the game, he gave me all the support that I needed. He and my mum have been very supportive. They give me all the encouragement that I need to play tennis.
Who is your role model in tennis?
I love Serena Williams so much. She is my role model. My aim is to play like her and win laurels the way she is doing. Moreover, she is black like me and I like everything about her game. I love her game so much. Anytime she wins, I am happy and when she loses, I feel sad. I am one of her numerous fan.
Are you in school?
Yes, I am in school. I am a student of University of Abuja. I am studying Business Administration.
How do you combine academics with playing tennis?
Most times I am lucky because whenever there is competition for me to attend, my school will not be in session. It was only once that I had to leave a tournament to return to school to face my examinations. That is like two years ago.
What is your current ranking and how many tournaments have you won?
 I used to be Nigeria’s number one female player but I played badly in the past tournament and lost some points. So now I am number two. I have won a couple of tournaments beginning from my days as a junior player. I was junior number one till I graduated to the senior cadre. I have won some tournaments and lost some finals and semi-finals.
How are you preparing for this year’s Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Tournament?
As you can see I am on tennis court training really hard for the tournament. I train here ( Abuja national stadium tennis courts) morning and evening in order to be in top shape for the very important tournament.
Is this going to be your first appearance?
No, no, it is not. I have been there like four times and this is going to be my fifth appearance.
How satisfied are you with your performance in last year’s edition?
 I am not satisfied. Not really satisfied because when I started playing in the tournament, I was much younger, yet I gave even the foreign players tough time. I was playing good tennis. However, my last performance wasn’t all that good again.
What would you say is responsible for the decline in your performance?
I think it has to do with lack of motivation and tournaments. When I started playing in the Governor’s Cup, I was still a junior player so I had more tournaments both national and international to play. Those tournaments kept me in form. But now I don’t have them again.
So you are not promising your fans anything?
No, no, no I am not defeated already. I am going to give my best there. I hope to play better than last year.
Have you set any target for yourself?
Of course yes. I want to play in the finals and if possible win the tournament. It is not going to be easy but I hope to work hard and with God on my side, I should be able to get something.
Don’t you think you are putting yourself under pressure?
I don’t think so. It is normal for anyone going into a tournament to have a target. So I am not putting myself under any pressure. I do not see anything different. It is just like the other tournaments.
Do you have a sponsor going into the tournament?
For now, no. I do not have any sponsor. I am relying on my parents and few other people to help me with rackets, balls and other things. But for full sponsorship, I do not have anybody.
What is your appeal to government and corporate organisations?
I want to appeal to everyone, especially government to come to our aid. They should bring more tournaments to the country and sponsor some of us who are still interested in playing. We need more of local and international tournaments.
What is your happiest moment as a tennis player?
My happiest moment came when I won Dalla Hardcourt Kano for the first time. I played all the way from the preliminaries to the finals and emerged winner of the tournament. I have won three Dalla Hardcourt titles and lost four finals. Another happy moment for me was when I won gold for my university in the West African Universities Games, WAUG in Ilorin. Univeristy of Ilorin was the host of the Games.
What is your saddest moment?
I will say it was in last year’s CBN Governor’s Cup. It was really a bad experience for me. I was a top seed but my performance was really disappointing. I prepared very well but I lost out in the first round because I was sick but I had to play. So at a point, I passed out. It was the worst match ever for me.
Who is your toughest opponent among the Nigerian female players?
I will say all the players from number one to four are very good and tough to beat.  I am talking about Ronke Akingbade, Sarah Adegoke, Christy Agugbom and Lizzy Pam. These four players are good.
How do you cope with pressure from male admirers?
There is no pressure because I don’t have time for such things. I do not want to be distracted by anything and I won’t allow anybody to distract me. Tennis is my love for now. Apart from school, I don’t allow anything to distract me from playing it.