TENNIS: Njogu storms into quarters

Kenya's Albert Njogu, Seed 4, during ITF East Africa 18 and Under Junior Circuit tournament 2019 at Nairobi club. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Albert Njogu advanced to the quarter-finals of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Under-18 Junior Circuit currently on at Nairobi Club.

Yesterday, the upcoming tennis star made light work of Taipei’s Yu Shiang Huang to book his place in the last eight. Njogu was too good for his opponents dropping one game as he eased to victory against the visitor who seemed to be have had a bad day in office.

Njogu made his intentions known from the onset winning one game after the other to take the first set 6-0 without his challenger’s reply. Determined to complete the job without a hitch, the homeboy continued dominating to take the second set 6-1 and seal his place in the quarters.

Tournament fourth seed Njogu said his aim is to go as far as he can go in the tournament. “There is stiff competition because each player is working hard and we all want to advance and play in the finals. I settled in the match early enough and once I won my first game there was no looking back because I knew that victory was attainable as long as continued earning more points and dropping non,” Njogu said.

Njogu will take on eighth ranked Bruno Nhavene in today’s quarter-final match. Nhavene beat put up a spirited fight to down Thibaut Gadilhe of France 5-7, 4-6 and 6-3 in a three set thriller.

However, it was end of the road for another Kenyan Ryan Randiek who fell to Jasza Szajrych of Poland to bow out of the tournament.  Randiek seeded 13th was no equal for his Polish challenger ranked third in the tournament going down in straight sets of 6-1, 6-1.

In other matches, tournament top seed Abdul Shakur Kabura of Burundi lived up to his billing advancing with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia’s Dusan Rsovac. Kabura who is based in Kenya capitalized on familiarity with the Nairobi Club tennis courts to subdue resilient Rsovac who was not willing to go down without a proper fight.

Thibault Verdier of France send packing Aly Shokeir of Egypt to book his place in quarter-finals. Verdier won in straight sets of 6-3, 6-2.  Fifth seed Loof Thijmen also proceeded to the last eight with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Taipei’s Cheng Tang. Frank Jonker of Netherlands also booked his place in the last eight following his 6-3, 6-1 win over Ming-Chien Chiu of Taipei. Fast rising Angela Okutoyi led Kenyans to go past the first round.