Kenya, EGYPT lock horns in final: Home girls chase Wheelchair tennis World Cup ticket against Pharaohs

By ELIZABETH MBURUGU

Tanzanian Lucy Shirima returns a shot to Kenya’s Jane Ndenga during their BNP Paribas World Team Cup African qualifiers at the Nairobi Club, yesterday. [PHOTO: JENNIFER WACHIE/ STANDARD]

Hosts Kenya will today lock horns with Egypt in the women’s finals of the BNP Paribas Wheelchair Tennis World Cup African qualifiers at Nairobi Club.

The women are seeking the sole ticket to the World Cup slated for May 26 to 2 June in the Netherlands.

Yesterday, Jane Ndenga subjected Tanzanian Lucy Shirima to a humiliating 0-6 0-6 to earn her first against Tanzania and her second overall. She dominated the entire match and took it easily.

However the second singles match between Phoebe Masika and Tanzanian Rehema Selemani was tightly contested. Selemani beat Masika 3-6 7-5 6-2 to bag the first point for her country.

Masika told FeverPitch she intends to make amends in the finals and make sure they win.

“I will give my best to my match in the finals, my opponent was tough and experienced this is my first time,” she said.

“We are still in the race and we are not giving up so easily, we are playing Egypt and we hope to beat them again” she added.

She started well taking the first set 3-6, however Selemani composed herself taking the second set 7-5, the Tanzanian then gained confidence settled into the game well and took the third set 6-2.                                               Selemani then joined hands with Bihawa Mustafa against Ndenga and Rahel Akoth in the women’s doubles.

Last year the Kenyan ladies finished second behind South Africa who did not compete in this tournament as they had already qualified for Netherlands.

 Egyptian ladies, who started on a low losing their first matches to Kenya, made a comeback against Tanzania garnering three points. Sheimaa Abdellatif beat Shirima 1-6 4-6 to earn the first point for her team.

Neema Nour determined not to let down her country excelled 2-6 3-6 against Selemani.

Abdellatif and Nour teamed up and played to a 2-6 2-6 victory against Selemani and Bihawa Mustafa sealing the three vital points.

In the men’s category defending champions Nigeria will square it out with Morocco in their quest for the global event ticket.

Nigeria qualified by earning three points against the Kenyan men and the Pharoahs, while Morocco walloped Tanzania and Gambia to book a date with the champions.

The men on the other hand failed to impress losing all their matches against Nigeria and Egypt.                                

Caleb Odiyo lost 5-7 3-6 to Egyptian Mohamed Aly in the second singles match while Peter Munuve and Rajab Abdallah went down 6-7 (5) 7-6 (2) 10-12 to Egyptians Aly and Farouk in the doubles to bow out of the contest.                                    They have not earned a single point and will be in play offs for fifth position.