University of Delaware Athletics
Tayo Adetunji to Represent Nigeria at Billie Jean King Cup
5/27/2022 1:46:00 PM | Women's Tennis
NEWARK, Del. – Women's tennis senior Tayo Adetunji is set to graduate from the University of Delaware this weekend with a degree in business management. However, the Johannesburg, South Africa native has not played her final tennis as she will represent Nigeria next month while competing in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Adetunji and Team Nigeria will compete in Event A of Group III for Europe/Africa from June 7-11. Nigeria will be one of 16 countries competing on the clay surface at the Bellevue Tennis Club in Ulcinj, Montenegro. The 16 nations will be split into four groups where one team from each group will advance out of round-robin play and take part in a two-stage knock-out draw with one team earning promotion to Europe/Africa Group II.
This will not be the first time that Adetunji has represented Nigeria in international play, as she competed in both the 2018 African Youth Games in Algeria and the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in The Bahamas before arriving in Newark. She also participated in the African Junior Championships at the U14, U16 and U18 levels. Adetunji, who was born in Massachusetts but grew up in South Africa and went to high school in Maryland, is able to play for Nigeria because her father Adeola is from there and was a student-athlete at the University of IIFE. Her mother Danielle was also a student-athlete, playing volleyball at Concordia University.
"Seeing as it is my first time playing Billie Jean King Cup, I am looking forward to the experience of an international tournament at such a high level," said Adetunji. "I'm also looking forward to being surrounded by other great players and to play against some great teams and players as well."
Formerly known as the Fed Cup, the tournament has been renamed the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas, marking the first time a major global team competition has been named after a woman. Each team match will consist of a best-of-five format with four singles matches being played followed by one doubles match. Adetunji sees the similarity to the college team matches, which is a best-of-seven format, as an advantage for her.
"My experience here at Delaware will help me prepare for it because I know the importance of every match being played," she said. "So everyone has to be playing their best game to be successful. I think that the competitiveness of college tennis will also help me thrive in this environment at this tournament."
A team captain this past season, Adetunji was a four-year member of the women's tennis program at UD. Battling injuries throughout most of her career, she earned 14 singles victories and 17 doubles wins over the course of her four years. An exemplary student in the classroom, Adetunji was named to the CAA Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll three times and was an ITA Scholar-Athlete as a sophomore.
"This is an amazing opportunity for Tayo to compete at one of the highest levels," said Director of Tennis Pablo Montana. "I am very excited for her to have the honor to represent her country."
For the latest on the Delaware women's tennis program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareWTEN and Instagram @Delawarewtennis.
Adetunji and Team Nigeria will compete in Event A of Group III for Europe/Africa from June 7-11. Nigeria will be one of 16 countries competing on the clay surface at the Bellevue Tennis Club in Ulcinj, Montenegro. The 16 nations will be split into four groups where one team from each group will advance out of round-robin play and take part in a two-stage knock-out draw with one team earning promotion to Europe/Africa Group II.
This will not be the first time that Adetunji has represented Nigeria in international play, as she competed in both the 2018 African Youth Games in Algeria and the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in The Bahamas before arriving in Newark. She also participated in the African Junior Championships at the U14, U16 and U18 levels. Adetunji, who was born in Massachusetts but grew up in South Africa and went to high school in Maryland, is able to play for Nigeria because her father Adeola is from there and was a student-athlete at the University of IIFE. Her mother Danielle was also a student-athlete, playing volleyball at Concordia University.
"Seeing as it is my first time playing Billie Jean King Cup, I am looking forward to the experience of an international tournament at such a high level," said Adetunji. "I'm also looking forward to being surrounded by other great players and to play against some great teams and players as well."
Formerly known as the Fed Cup, the tournament has been renamed the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas, marking the first time a major global team competition has been named after a woman. Each team match will consist of a best-of-five format with four singles matches being played followed by one doubles match. Adetunji sees the similarity to the college team matches, which is a best-of-seven format, as an advantage for her.
"My experience here at Delaware will help me prepare for it because I know the importance of every match being played," she said. "So everyone has to be playing their best game to be successful. I think that the competitiveness of college tennis will also help me thrive in this environment at this tournament."
A team captain this past season, Adetunji was a four-year member of the women's tennis program at UD. Battling injuries throughout most of her career, she earned 14 singles victories and 17 doubles wins over the course of her four years. An exemplary student in the classroom, Adetunji was named to the CAA Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll three times and was an ITA Scholar-Athlete as a sophomore.
"This is an amazing opportunity for Tayo to compete at one of the highest levels," said Director of Tennis Pablo Montana. "I am very excited for her to have the honor to represent her country."
For the latest on the Delaware women's tennis program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareWTEN and Instagram @Delawarewtennis.
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