Seventeen-year-old squash prodigy Yusuf Quadri etched his name into Nigerian sporting history on Saturday by becoming the first junior player to win both the Under-19 and senior men’s titles at the same edition of the Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament.
Held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, the fourth edition of the prestigious tournament saw Quadri pull off an extraordinary double. After clinching the U-19 title with a 3-1 win over Joshua Daniel earlier in the day, the teen sensation returned to the court to face Nigeria’s No. 3-ranked senior player, Farouk Sulaimon, in the men’s final. Undeterred by fatigue or pressure, Quadri displayed exceptional grit and composure, defeating Sulaimon 3-1 in a performance that had fans and officials lauding him as the future of Nigerian squash.
“I played like a champion all through the tournament,” Quadri said. “This motivates me to train harder and come back even stronger next year.”
In the women’s division, top seed Rofiat Abdulazeez reinforced her dominance by retaining her title with a 3-1 victory over Faridat Soliu in a fiercely competitive final. It marked her second consecutive championship win at the event.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Abdulazeez reflected. “But I stayed calm and followed my game plan. Faridat really pushed me—I respect her effort.”
The tournament continues to gain momentum as a key platform for identifying and celebrating Nigeria’s next generation of squash stars, with this year’s edition widely hailed as the most competitive yet.
The 2025 Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament concluded on a high note at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, with teenage stars stealing the spotlight and reinforcing the tournament’s growing reputation as a launchpad for elite Nigerian squash talent.
In the girls’ Under-19 final, Aisha Abdulazeez delivered a clinical performance to sweep past Zainab Ishola in straight sets (3-0), capping a flawless run in the competition and claiming the junior crown in dominant fashion.
On the boys’ side, Yusuf Quadri, 17, continued to make headlines as he became the first junior player to win both the U-19 and senior men’s titles in the same tournament, defeating Joshua Daniel and Nigeria’s No. 3-ranked senior, Farouk Sulaimon, respectively.
Despite her loss in the senior women’s final to reigning champion Rofiat Abdulazeez, Faridat Soliu remained positive:
“It hurts to lose, but I’m proud of my journey. I’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”
Mr. Boye Oyerinde, President of the Nigeria Squash Federation, praised the organizers and the exceptional display of talent:
“The level of talent we’re seeing is outstanding,” Oyerinde said. “This tournament keeps pushing players to new heights. We’re excited about the future.”
Jointly organized by the Lagos State Squash Association and sponsored by Prime Atlantic, the tournament has once again reaffirmed its place as a cornerstone of youth and elite squash development in Nigeria.#newsafro_
