Last chance for home players as tournament moves to Parklands

By Oscar Pilipili

After unsuccessful campaign in the second leg of the Kenya International Junior Championship that is ending at the Nairobi Club today, home players shift focus to the second round scheduled to start at Parklands Sports Club on Monday.

The players hope to make amends and grab important points in the competition to improve their International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranking.

Europeans and North Africans have dominated the first two tournaments at the expense of East Africans who were expected to capitalise on home advantage to prevail.

Michelle Onyancha, 14, was the best-placed Kenyan girl in the singles category in the Nairobi Club round.

Onyancha, seeded sixth in the Championship, lost 6-4, 7-6(6) against third seed Julia Grabher of Australia in the quarters.

No Kenyan boy went past the second round after Gibrael Teja lost against Michael Anasyasios Psarros of Greece 6-3, 7-5 in a second round encounter.

ONLY AFRICAN

In a wider perspective, the best-placed boy from Eastern Africa was Sadili Oval Sports Academy based Burundian Amadi Kagoma who reached pre-quarters in Nairobi.

And the only African still in contention is now Egyptian top seed Mai Kamash who defeated Grabher 6-4, 7-5 in a tight semi-final match to reach girls’ final which is scheduled for today at the Nairobi Club.

Unseeded Marlies Szupper of Austria defeated fifth seed Anastasiya Shestakova of Ukraine 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4) in second semi-final to set a final date with Kamash.

Boys’ final pits Mombasa leg winner Artur Completo of Portugal against Austrian Lucas Miedler following their victories in respective semi-final matches. Miedler overcame Blaz Bizjak 6-1, 6-3 while Artur eliminated Linus Erhart with straights sets of 6-3, 6-3 to advance.

According to referee Patrick Kamuhia, the third and final leg is scheduled to start with qualifiers on Monday.

Kamuhia said: "We start the third leg with signing in tomorrow then move to qualification round on Monday." And as host players move to Parklands, coaches are warning that they need to improve on concentration to harbour hopes of going any further in the tournament.

Masimba Muchenje, who handles Onyancha siblings Derrick and Michelle observed that unlike foreigners who change their game to fit a situation, Kenyans play one style throughout.