By Ikenna Nwokedi 

Chimaobi Isaac Onuegbu and Lucky Chinasa Favour were the champions of the Under-16 Boys and Girls categories at the three-day 2025 edition of Chief Kingsley Uduh South East Junior Tennis Classics Championship held at the Tennis Court of the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, Imo State.

Chimaobi Onuegbu of Owerri City Secondary School defeated Chibueze Nweke of Emmanuel College Owerri in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the Under-16 Boys category to win the trophy and top prize of N40,000 with the latter settling for the second prize of N30,000. In a similar vein, Favour Lucky saw off Adachukwu Otuka 4-2, 4-1 in the Under-16 category for Girls to coast home with the top prize of N40,000 with Otuka settling for N30,000 earmarked as the second prize.

In the Under-14 Boys category, Chinaecherem David Onuegbu defeated Ezichi Ewuzie of Anambra State 6-4, 6-2 in the grand finale for the top prize worth N30,000 with Ewuzie settling for the second prize of N15,000 while for the Girls Category still in the Under-14, Ebube Otuka in an entertaining final contest usurped Ginikachi Uwaleke 5-3, 4-0 to smile come with the sum of N30,000 as her compatriot settled for the sum of N15,000.

Netochukwu Obed of Enugu State went home with the sum of N30,000 for defeating Kosisochukwu MacDonald 4-1, 5-3 in the finals of the Under-12 Boys category.

Semi final losers in the Under-16 Boys and Girls categories made up of Nehemiah Ejiofor, Kelechi Nwosu, Ngozi Nwosu and Divine Ndem all went home with the consolation prizes of N10,000 each while the rest of the athletes who lost their semi final matches in the Under-14 Boys and Girls categories and Under-12 Boys category comprising of Samuel Ndem, Makuo Obed, Benjamin Dirichukwu, Chibueze Ezeah, Amarachi Uwaleke and Amarachi Julius all got N7500 each for their exploits with the remaining 20 players who were knocked out in the preliminary stages all going home with the sum of N3000 each.

Speaking during the medals' presentation, the sponsor, Chief Kingsley Uduh who was represented by Barr. Ugochukwu Uzodike thanked the benefactor of the competition for bankrolling the Tennis championship geared towards bringing the game to the front burner and harnessing the potentials in the South Eastern zone. Chief Uzodike affirmed that the benefactor of the competition has made the tennis stakeholders proud by his act of magnanimity and quest to promote the game of Tennis in the land.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Chief Charles Duruaku stated that the essence of the competition is to discover budding talents who would be equipped for the future to represent their state at national programmes and the country during international events. The LOC Chairman disclosed that a total of 40 participants featured at the 2025 edition of the competition with the sponsor doling out the sum of N400,000 as prize monies.

Highpoints of the competition's closing ceremony was the presentation of the winning trophies, medals and prize monies to the winners of the various categories.

Present during the colourful closing ceremony were the Directors of Sports of the five South Eastern states - Emeka Obidinma (Director of Sports, Anambra State); Ephraim Ochonma (Director of Sports, Enugu State); Lady Justina Akupulo (Director of Sports, Imo State); Emmanuel Utobo (Director of Sports, Ebonyi State) and Comrade George Obioma (Director of Sports, Abia State).