Kenyan tennis star Zayyan Virani has risen 99 places to a career-high world ranking of 349 after winning his first ITF title outside Kenya, a victory he observes taught him valuable lessons about handling pressure, adapting to opponents and staying mentally strong.
The 17-year-old achieved the breakthrough at the J60 Kigali tournament in Rwanda, where he outclassed Israel’s Nitzan Yossef Swisa 6-4, 6-1 in the singles final. Virani also claimed the doubles title, partnering Czech Republic’s Nicolas Moravec.
The latest ITF junior rankings released on August 10 place Virani at 349, making him the only Kenyan boy among the world’s top 1,400.
In an interview, Virani, who lives and trains in Spain at the Emilio Sánchez Academy in Barcelona, said the Kigali triumph was special because it proved he could succeed away from home.
“It is very exciting to win J60 Kigali, especially because it is my first ITF title outside Kenya,” Virani said on August 11. “It shows that the hard work I am putting in is paying off and that I can compete and win outside Kenya.”
He added that the tournament taught him more than simply how to win a title.
“One of the biggest lessons I learned was to stay calm, trust my game and keep fighting regardless of the situation,” he explained.
Virani won the J30 Nairobi title in 2025 and claimed two J30 Nairobi titles this year. However, J60 Kigali was his first ITF title outside Kenya.
He had planned to compete in two J100 Barcelona tournaments from August 18-29 but subsequently withdrew.
