Tennis: Kenyans off to flying start

PHOTO:COURTESY

Hosts Kenya began their International Tennis Federation (ITF) BNP Paribas Wheelchair World Team Cup African Qualifiers campaign on a high beating Ghana and Morocco in both men’s and women’s matches.

Well aware that only the winners will get tickets to the global extravaganza set for 1 to 7 May in Sardinia, Italy the home players left nothing to chance.

Seeking to return to the world event after missing the last two editions, the Kenyan duo of Jane Ndenga and Phoebe Masika put up a spirited fight to beat Morocco’s Maima Habboubi and Najwa Awane 2-1 in pool B.

First on court was Masika taking on Habboubi and she dominated the North African and eased to a 6-2, 6-0 conquest. However, Ndenga was not as lucky as Awane snatched the second singles game 7-6(4), 6-1. The duo then paired for their doubles game and Ndenga redeemed herself with sterling performance as they humbled the Moroccans 6-1, 6-3 to carry the day.

Kenya’s trio of Collins Omondi, Peter Munuve and Rajab Athmani were in a class of their own as they made easy work easy of Francis Boateng and MacLean Atsu of Ghana. Omondi dismissed Boateng 6-2, 6-1 while Munuve triumphed 6-0, 6-1 in the men’s pool B singles tie.

Munuve then partnered with Athmani to beat Boateng and Atsu 6-0, 6-0 and give Kenya a 3-0 conquest over the West Africans. Munuve told Feverpitch that build-up matches in the Futures tournament helped them improve.

“We gained momentum after playing a series of matches in the tournament. We also became more confident and our game plan was to attack from the onset and I’m glad our strategy worked,” he said.

— Elizabeth Mburugu