Kenya’s junior tennis players are aiming for success on home soil as the World Tennis-Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) Under-14 Circuit – Kenya 1 began at Parklands Sports Club on Saturday, August 22, ahead of the ANOCA Zone 5 Youth Games scheduled for August 24-28 at Kenyatta University.
Glenn Arika, Leonardo Till-Blomhammar, Brighton Ochieng and Lionel Ominde booked places in the boys’ main draw after winning their qualifying matches on Saturday. Arika defeated Goodluck Chacha 6-1, 6-4, Till-Blomhammar beat Aazad Dalal 6-2, 6-0, Ochieng overcame Maxwell Ochieng 6-2, 6-1, while Ominde dispatched Aaryan Savani 6-0, 6-4.
They join Muyanze Kahi, Samuel Minta, Joshua Ngini, Khalil Nathani, Indiatsi Olembo, Wallace Wekesa, P. Maina, Kaylen Shah, Fidel Nyabera, Khyle Rajiv, Lewis Onyango, A. Dsouza, Ayden Virjee and E. Mundia in a boys’ draw also featuring players from Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Tunisia and Egypt.
Kenya’s girls’ contingent comprises Pransi Choudhry, Precious Waweru, Hilena Brook, Paula Ouko, C. Matala, Katelyn Kimani, I. Gichungu, Nyla Wanja, Imani Kavuisya, K. Mbogo, Siya Soni, Elsa Nafula, Kayla Paras, Gisele Mutiva, Ashlyn Nafula Wafula and second seed Bathsheba Ogamba, one of the leading contenders. The international field includes players from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Egypt and Zambia.
Olembo, who is seeded third, will face Ugandan Jonathan Ssenyomo, while Wekesa takes on Tunisian Mohamed Romadhane. Ominde meets Egyptian fifth seed Selim El Halawany, Waweru meets Ugandan Amanda Ssenyomo, seventh seed Brook plays Tanzania’s Gracous Shayo and Choudhry tackles South African Olivia Botha when the main draw starts on Sunday.
For the Zone 5 Games, Kenya will field Edward Mwakio, Don Kelly, Mark Murage and Jyan Patel in the boys’ competition, while Seline Ahoya, Nancy Kawira, Michelle Murage and Jenerica Thuku represent the girls. Peter Wachira and Joie Keter are the coaches.
The selections were based on the top two boys and girls at the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association Games Nationals at Mpesa Academy, Thika, in early August, alongside the top two players in the Tennis Kenya Under-18 national rankings.
Kenya will host 10 countries at the Zone 5 Games.
