14-year-old Sezuo wins maiden Top 12 Women’s T’Tennis Champs

Fourteen-year-old table tennis prodigy Ize Sezuo announced herself as one of Nigeria’s brightest emerging talents after upsetting more experienced opponents to win the inaugural Nigeria Women’s Top 12 Table Tennis Championship at the Not Bad Sports Arena, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos, on Saturday.

The Kogi State youngster produced a string of remarkable performances throughout the two-day event, defeating Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps player Hussain Halimat 4-3 in a pulsating final to lift the title at a championship co-organised by the Not Bad Sports Arena and the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation.

Sezuo’s triumph, which saw her come from three games to nil up, surrender a lead and hold her nerve in a deciding seventh game, earned her the winners’ prize of N250,000 from a total purse of N3 million. Runner-up Hussain received N150,000, while the two losing semi-finalists earned N50,000 each. The remaining participants received appearance fees and consolation prizes.

The championship, held from June 26 to 27, marked a significant milestone as the first edition of the top 12 format organised exclusively for female players, following two previous editions for male players only.

Sezuo’s route to the title was one of the stories of the tournament. Seeded ninth, she stunned top seed Asaju Bisola of Edo State four games to three in the semi-finals, winning the decisive seventh game after both players were level at three-all.

Speaking after her victory, an elated Sezuo described the title as a major confidence booster.

“This is my first time playing a tournament like this. It gave me a very good experience. I never thought I would go this far to the final. Winning this tournament makes me feel proud because it proves I am ready to compete with the senior players who have represented Nigeria. It has really boosted my morale,” she said.

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The 14-year-old, who has previously represented Nigeria at World Table Tennis Youth events and the African Under-15 Championships, expressed belief that the victory would serve as a springboard to greater achievement.

“I see myself becoming a professional table tennis player representing Nigeria and Africa in the future,” she said.

Competition Manager Segun Peters noted that points earned during the championship would contribute to improving national rankings, making the tournament an important platform for talent development.

Host and owner of the Not Bad Sports Arena, Mike Ohadike, said the championship was conceived to promote table tennis and contribute to restoring Nigeria’s dominance in the sport on the continent. He commended the players for their performances and urged them to remain disciplined and focused in pursuit of greater success, adding that every participant emerged a winner.

Motivational speaker Traci Williams, who delivered the keynote address, described the maiden tournament as a landmark initiative capable of transforming women’s table tennis in Nigeria. Drawing lessons from powerhouses such as China, Germany, Sweden and Egypt, Williams urged stakeholders to build strong coaching systems, expand youth development programmes and provide sustained support for players, insisting that talent alone was no longer sufficient to produce world champions.

She also challenged athletes, coaches, administrators, sponsors and officials to uphold professionalism and integrity, noting that discipline remained the bridge between talent and achievement. Williams said the inaugural Top 12 Women’s Championship should mark the beginning of a new era in which Nigerian women received the opportunities, exposure and investment needed to restore the country’s place among Africa’s leading table tennis nations.