Seven years ago, Quadri Yusuf was just another curious 10-year-old boy in a Lagos neighbourhood when two childhood friends walked into his home carrying a squash racket.
The racket was unlike anything he had ever seen. He picked it up, examined it closely and refused to let it go.
His friends, brothers Joshua and Elijah Daniel, laughed.
“If you like it that much, come and join us,” they teased him.
Neither the boys nor Yusuf himself could have imagined that the innocent invitation would become the beginning of a remarkable journey to one of the biggest stages in junior squash.
On July 20, the quiet and determined 17- year-old will walk onto the courts in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, to represent Nigeria at the 2026 World Junior Squash Championships, where about 20 countries will battle for one of the sport’s most coveted titles.
For Yusuf, the championship is much more than another tournament. It is the reward for years of sacrifice, discipline and unwavering belief.
It is also an opportunity to prove that Nigerian players can compete with the world’s finest and challenge the dominance of the sport’s traditional powerhouses.
Awaiting him is one of the toughest fields in junior squash.
Defending champion Mohamad Zakaria of Egypt heads a formidable Egyptian contingent, while England, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia are also expected to field outstanding young talents.
Many of Yusuf’s rivals have spent years competing regularly on the international circuit, gaining valuable experience against the world’s best.
Yet those who have followed the Nigerian teenager’s rise believe he possesses qualities that statistics cannot measure: composure under pressure, relentless determination and an unshakeable belief in his ability.
That belief has only grown stronger following his recent exploits at home.
Only weeks before departing for Canada, Yusuf successfully defended both the Under-19 and Senior Men’s titles at the Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament, defeating Shuaib Giwa in two gruelling five-set finals.
It was the second consecutive year he had achieved the rare double, underlining not only his technical ability but also his remarkable endurance and mental toughness.
Long before the trophies and national recognition, however, there was simply a little boy captivated by a borrowed racket.
“I was introduced to squash by my childhood friends, Joshua Daniel and Elijah Daniel,” Yusuf recalled.
“We all lived in the same neighbourhood. One day they brought a squash racket to our house. My elder brother, Ayomide Yusuf, and I became fascinated by it. We didn’t want to give it back.”
The two brothers were eventually invited to the squash court.
Nothing prepared them for what they found.
“The first time we entered a squash court, everything looked strange,” he said.
“We had never seen squash before. We didn’t even know it was played inside an enclosed court. We just stood there watching and trying to understand what was happening.”
The uncertainty did not last long.
“From that very first day, we fell in love with the game,” he said.
Their parents quickly embraced the new passion, encouraging the boys to spend their afternoons at the court and gradually buying the equipment they needed as finances permitted.
One childhood memory still brings a smile to Yusuf’s face.
“My brother got his squash shoes before I got mine,” he recalled.
“I cried because I wanted mine immediately. Eventually, my parents bought me my own pair, and I was so happy.”
As his talent blossomed, so did the support of people who recognised his potential.
Yusuf, who represents Lagos State, won a gold medal for the state at the squash event of the 2024 National Sports Festival (Gateway Games) in Ogun.
Now preparing for the biggest tournament of his young career, Yusuf has intensified his training.
“The Prime Atlantic tournament showed me that I have the stamina to compete at a high level,” he said.
“Right now, Shuaib Giwa and I train together almost every day. We push each other because we both know we need strong competition in training if we want to perform well internationally.”
He explained that fitness has become the priority before technical preparations intensify.
“At the moment, everything is about fitness. In the next few weeks, we’ll move fully into ball work.”
Yusuf believes his previous encounters against international opponents have prepared him for the challenge awaiting him in Canada.
“I’ve played against international players before, including Europeans. I know how to stay composed, control the pace of a match and execute my game plan,” he said.
While he has great respect for his opponents, he refuses to be intimidated.
“I respect every opponent, but I don’t think anyone is unbeatable. The key is consistency and believing in yourself,” he said.
Canada will undoubtedly present the toughest examination of his career.
Matches at the World Junior Championships are often decided by the smallest margins, demanding technical excellence, tactical discipline, physical endurance and immense mental strength.
Yusuf understands exactly what lies ahead.
“My goal is to make Nigeria proud,” he said.
“I want to compete with confidence, give my very best in every match and show the world that Nigerian players can stand alongside the best.
“I’ve worked hard to get to this point, and I’m ready for the challenge,” he said.
There is a beautiful symmetry to his story.
The friends who first introduced him to squash are now among the players he competes against on the national circuit.
The enclosed court has become his second home, while the racket that once seemed unfamiliar has become his constant companion.
The little boy who cried because his older brother, Ayomide, received squash shoes before him is now preparing to wear Nigeria’s colours on one of the sport’s biggest junior stages.
Looking back today, Yusuf realises those seemingly ordinary moments laid the foundation for a dream that would carry him far beyond his neighbourhood.
As his game matured, so did the attention of those who understood what exceptional talent looked like.
Among them was coach Idowu Enimakure, who first noticed Yusuf when the youngster was barely a teenager, fearlessly taking on senior players with little regard for reputation.
“We first met Quadri when he was about 12 or 13 years old, and even then he was troubling the senior players,” Enimakure recalled.
“We could see he had something special,” he said.
Convinced that the teenager needed a structured environment to nurture his talent, the coaches at the John Hett Sports Foundation brought him into the programme about three years ago.
It proved to be one of the defining moments of his career.
Not long after joining the foundation, Yusuf travelled with the team on a month-long training tour to Egypt, a country widely regarded as the global powerhouse of squash.
The experience exposed him to a higher level of competition and transformed both his outlook and his game.
“When we came back from Egypt, everything changed,” Enimakure said.
“He won his first national title at a Police tournament, and that was when everyone started noticing him. From that point, he has never looked back.”
For Enimakure, the Egyptian tour was equally significant. Beyond watching his young player blossom, the coach also returned with fresh ideas that strengthened the foundation’s development programme.
The results have become increasingly evident.
Today, Yusuf is recognised not only for his attacking flair but also for the physical endurance that has become one of his greatest assets.
His ability to outlast opponents was on full display at the recent Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament, where he survived two gruelling five-set finals to retain both the Under-19, and the senior men’s final lasted about 74 minutes.
Enimakure believes that stamina is no accident.
“At the John Hett Sports Foundation, we have a complete support system,” he said.
“Coach Wasiu Sani and I handle the technical aspect, while Coach Toyi Durotoye oversees fitness,” he said.
Quadri has committed himself to every part of the programme.
That commitment, he said, has turned Yusuf into one of the country’s fittest squash players.
“Even if a match lasts two hours, I believe he can still compete at a high level because of the work he has put into his fitness. He is mentally strong, physically prepared and always willing to push himself.”
In the Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament finals, Quadri played the U-19 final for 64 minutes, while the senior men’s category lasted about 74 minutes.
Those qualities, Enimakure believes, will be crucial when Yusuf steps onto the world stage in Canada.
“I believe Quadri has what it takes to make Nigeria proud. He has prepared well, he has confidence in his ability and he has shown that he can compete under pressure. Now he has the opportunity to show the world what he can do.”
Whether his campaign in Canada ends with a medal or another invaluable lesson, one truth is already beyond doubt.
The boy who refused to let go of a borrowed racket has grown into one of Nigeria’s brightest sporting prospects.
Now, the world is about to discover Quadri Yusuf.
