Maseno Open is on in Nyanza Tennis Club

Over 40 top players from different counties will converge at Nyanza Club in Kisumu for the third edition of Maseno Open today.

Players from Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kitale, Eldoret and hosts Kisumu have confirmed participation.

Among players expected to feature are Maseno Tennis Club top seeds Billy Jagero and Eugene Omondi, Nyanza Lawn Tennis Association’s Lina Oluoch, Robert Tally and Brenda Nyanduko from Eldoret and women’s top seeded player Sally Odak. Maseno Tennis Club Director Billy Othili said they want to popularise the sport in the region and give local players opportunity to grow.

“The tournaments’ objective is to help each and every player create their mark and move their game to the next level. This tournament will boost and help local players,” Othili said.

The tournament will be overseen by experienced referees Dr Quinter Migunde and Joan Adalo.

Meanwhile, top seed Karolina Pliskova overcame a slow start to put away Britain’s Katie Boulter 5-7 6-0 6-3 in the Tianjin Open quarter-finals yesterday, improving her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Pliskova, currently eighth in the Race to Singapore standings, is battling for one of the three available spots in the season-ending tournament starting on October 21.

World number 101 Boulter, facing a top-10 player for the first time, took her Czech opponent by surprise with two breaks of serve to clinch the opening set.

Pliskova is known for her powerful serve but it was her return game which came to the rescue as she converted nine break points to move past Boulter into the semi-finals.