Juniors head to Coca-Cola tourney at JD Academy

By Oscar Pilipili

Kenya's best junior tennis talent will be on display as the 16th edition of Coca Cola-sponsored Jim Davies open tournament gets underway in Nairobi Wednesday.

Competition is expected to be stiff in the two top categories where class players among them Damaris Musera and Michelle Onyancha for girls and Rishi Kotecha, Arjun Pauvrana and Onyancha’s elder brother Derrick have registered.

The tournament’s director Mike Kibala said: "We expect quality games and a well organised tournament as it has always been the tradition of the event."

Kibala said at least 80 players are expected to participate in the tournament that is the first in the calendar of Kenya Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA).

"The Coca Cola event is a special one because it is the first KLTA ranking tournament in the country," said Kibala.

"All participants are eager to bag their first points of the season and this will definitely make contests very interesting," Kibala explained during registration of players at the Jim Davies Tennis Academy in Nairobi yesterday.

The under-14 and 16 age group categories have also attracted talented juniors including Thomas Richard, Tony Kipruto, Kuria Kimani, Adetunji siblings Rotini and Tayo and Sophia Gulam.

According to Kibala, the competition serves off starting tomorrow at 8am with finals being played on Sunday.

"In our tournament all participants are winners and therefore all registered players will be awarded trophies and medals,? said the director.

The Coca Cola tournament has traditionally been played over the last week of December and first week of January but organisers decided to move the event backwards on logistic reasons.

"The previous date was very close to Christmas holiday and was tricky because that was when most players were going back to school or travelling from upcountry and abroad," Kibala explained.

The tournament has always been played on hard courts at the Jim Davies Tennis Academy that is owned by former KLTA chairman Jim Davies.