Top seeds advance to tennis quarters

By Oscar Pilipili

Top seed Caroline Oduor led seeded players into qualifying for the quarter-finals of Real Insurance Kenya Open Championship.

Odour, who is a previous champion, defeated Njeri Onyango 6-3, 6-2 in a girls’ singles second round match to reach the quarters.

Oduor said: "The tournament has been good so far because everything is going on as per my plans. The matches are not that easy because everyone wants to win and keep the prize money."

Michelle Onyancha in action. [PHOTO: MARTIN MUKANGU/STANDARD]

"I hope to continue playing well and reach the final but my plan is to handle every match as it comes because players are not the same," said Oduor who is one of the most experienced players in the tournament.

Eighth seed Veronica Osogo defeated junior players Gloria Rotich 6-4, 6-1 to join Oduor in the quarters which are scheduled for today at the Nairobi Club.

Several meets

About her quarter-final meeting with Oduor, Osogo said: "I don’t like predicting about matches that are yet to be played but will put my best foot forward when it comes."

Osogo and Oduor have played against each other several times and at the same time represented Kenya in major international competitions among them Federation Cup and All Africa Games.

Fourth seed Sakina Nshimirimana of Malezi School kept live her dream of following into the footsteps of her sister (2010 champion Asiza Butoyi) when she defeated Ivy Rahedi with straight sets of 6-0, 6-0 in second round to qualify for quarters yesterday.

Sakina faces a big challenge when she meets experienced Ohmer Fernandez, the 6-0, 6-0 winner over Sharon Alutsheshe, in the quarters.

"I’m confident of playing in the finals because I’ve trained hard for this tournament. My aim is to defend the title for my sister who is not here and I’m certain of achieving my goal," a relaxed Sakina told FeverPitch at the Nairobi Club.

Coast girl Shufaa Changawa who is seeded second in the tournament beat Paige Mbugua 6-2, 6-1 in a match of the lower tier of the draw sheet to romp into the quarters.

The Media-shy Changawa said: "My focus is on the final and I hope to play better to be there."

Standing between Changawa and semi-final berth is Ugandan Rosette Musoke who was forced to use all her experience before beating Christina Lukalo 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in a three set thriller to move on.

Sixth seed Michelle Onyancha beat Mary Wachira 6-4, 6-3 while Tanzanian Rehema Athumani overcame off colour Juliet Cherono 6-4, 6-1 also to advance.

Athumani and Musoke, who are a regular participants in the tournament, are the only foreigners in the women’s singles.

Mens’s singles resumes today with top seed Duncan Mugabe of Uganda taking on Kenya’s rising star Gilbert Kibet at 11.30am.