Nigeria’s tennis prodigy Oluwaseun Ogunsakin has achieved a new career-high ranking, climbing to number 59 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Junior Rankings in the latest release.

Ogunsakin, who is Nigeria’s number one junior, has been on a remarkable rise in 2026 that has placed him among the elite juniors in world tennis.

Ogunsakin’s rise has been fueled by a stellar season on the ITF circuit. In March 2026 he won his first J200 title of the year in Cairo, coming from a set down to beat Botswana’s Ntugamili Raguin 1-6, 7-6, 6-3. That win pushed him 18 places up to a then career-high World No. 64.

In April 2026 he reached his all-time career-high of World number 58, before stabilizing at number 63.

Then in May 2026, he was ranked number 67 while preparing for Roland Garros as part of the ITF Grand Slam Player Development Programme.

Also Read: Tennis: Nigeria’s Ogunsakin Wins ITF J200 Boys’ Singles Title In Egypt

His latest jump to number 59 comes after his second J200 title of the year in Cairo last week, where he defeated France’s Matisse Martin 7-5, 6-3 in the final. The title was described by the National Sports Commission as one of the biggest of his young career.

The ranking is historic for Nigeria as according to ITF records, Ogunsakin is now the second-highest ranked Nigerian junior since combined junior rankings were introduced in 2004.

In 2026 alone, Ogunsakin has played all three junior Grand Slams. He was in the Roland Garros Junior main draw, at the Wimbledon Junior, he came through qualifying to reach main draw and reached the semi-finals in doubles, which ITF described as one of the notable stories of the Championships.

He came through qualifying for the US Open Juniors in New York, beating Canada’s top-seeded Felix Roussel to make the main draw and also in January, he was selected for the ITF’s $25,000 Grand Slam Player Development grant for emerging nations.

At 17, Ogunsakin, who first caught attention after getting a wildcard for junior Wimbledon in 2023 as Africa’s number one U-14 player, is now tipped to transition to the pro circuit in 2027 as Nigeria’s brightest tennis hope in decades.

By James Agberebi