A NIGERIAN dad now living in Greenock has told how he has devoted his life here to helping his daughter to the top in tennis.

Sports scientist Olu Durogoju, who moved into Inverclyde with his family five years ago, retrained as a tennis coach to help his 17-year-old, Oykinan, fulfil her dream of becoming a professional player.

The teenager trains almost every day of the week at a specialist tennis centre in Edinburgh and is set for a round of tournaments on the ITF Juniors circuit to push herself up the rankings.

Dad Olu said the only chance she had of making it in the elite sport was if he trains her himself.

Now he wants to open up the sport locally, by launching coaching sessions in his local church.

Olu said: "It is too expensive for most people to pay £20 an hour for lessons and facilities growing up.

"But Oykinan loves to play and she is very committed.

"She is going to Turkey to take part in a tournament.

"When she started to love tennis I took it on as her coach.

"My background in Nigeria is sport, so I went back to my roots and learned how to coach tennis.

"Oykinan is very talented and very determined to succeed.

"I have probably taken her as far as I can now, as she is going to tournaments and we are looking at sponsorship and coaching."

Olu moved to the UK to study nearly 30 years ago, moving around before settling in Greenock in 2017 with his wife Verena, Oykinan and son Tomiwa, 13, who are both home-schooled.

He recently joined the Wellpark Mid Kirk church and is hoping to use the hall for tennis.

His daughter says she will always be grateful for the grounding in the game that her dad has provided.

Oykinan said: "My dad will always be my main coach, he gives me so much advice and we follow a tough training regime."