Kenya women qualify for World Tennis Team Cup

Kenyan's Jane Ndinga return ball during BNP PARABIS World Team Cup Africa Qualifying tournament at Nairobi sports club on Sunday, Feb 19, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

It was mission accomplished as the Kenya women national team booked their ticket to this year’s International Tennis Federation Wheelchair World Team Cup to be held from May 1 to 7 in Sardinia, Italy.

They beat Tanzania 2-0 in finals played at Nairobi Club to earn their return to the global event after a two-year absence.

Kenya last qualified for the world team cup in 2014 after beating Egypt 2-1 in the finals played at the same venue. Jane Ndenga together with Masika and Rahel Akoth then finished 12th at the world championship held in Alphen, Netherlands in May of the same year.

However, the Kenyan women did not leave Europe empty-handed as they received the team of the year trophy.

Phoebe Masika began the host’s campaign on a positive note with a straight sets win over Tanzania’s Lucy Shirima to see Kenya set one foot into the world event. Masika was undoubtedly the better player as she dominated Shirima taking the first set 6-2. She gave Kenya an upper hand after sealing the second set 6-3.

Ndenga left nothing to chance seizing the opportunity to complete the job in the second singles tie against Rehema Selemani. She fought relentlessly for a 6-4, 7-5 victory giving Kenya a 2-0 win and saving her team the trouble of having to play the doubles match.

Ndenga told Feverpitch that their focus now shifts to preparations for the global competition and their aim is to perform better than they did in 2014.

“We have waited for long and I’m glad that we are through with the qualification. It feels good to return to the World Cup and we desire to perform better than we did two years ago.”

Kenyan men’s team was not as lucky falling at the hands of their guests Tanzania.

Despite Collins Omondi securing Kenya a 1-0 lead following his 6-2, 7-5 win over Hamisi Juma in the opening singles match, Kenya crumbled losing the second singles and the doubles encounters.

Tanzania’s 21-year-old Tuk-tuk driver Novatus Temba was the mastermind of Kenya’s downfall.

Industrious Temba revived Tanzania’s hopes of earning the continent’s sole ticket to Italy after comfortably dismissing Kenya’s Peter Munuve 6-0, 6-2 in the second singles match.

Temba then teamed up with Juma for the decisive doubles match as they dominated the proceeding taking a 4-1 lead before the match was interrupted by the rains.

Determined to earn their places at the World Cup not even the rains could deter the duo from achieving their purpose. On resumption, they cruised to 6-3, 6-1 win and deserved 2-1 victory over Munuve and Omondi to win the Africa men’s slot.

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