Mugabe, Oduor to defend titles
Omar Fernandez follows through her serve to Ivy Rahedi during KCB Kenya open ladies singles at Nairobi Club. Photo/CHRIS OMOLLO
Only eight players from a total 48 will join the big guns as the KCB Kenya Open tennis tournament proper starts on Tuesday at the Nairobi Club.
On Monday, the pre-qualifiers took the centre stage as junior and senior players battled it out in sweltering heat. Men’s top seed Duncan Mugabe and women’s top player, Caroline Oduor, were on their way to Nairobi after competing in the Uganda Open at the weekend.
Oduor won the women’s title, while Mugabe lost in the semi-final to the eventual men’s singles winners Jean-Claude Gasigwa of Rwanda. Both players are on the opposite ends of the KCB Kenya Open with Mugabe as the top seed and Gasigwa second.
Uganda Open finalist, Francis Rogoi, is fourth and Zimbabwe’s Martin Dzuwa third.
Oduor, the women’s top seed, will join the action in the pre-quarter final to meet the winner between Catherine Muraguri and Veronica Wangui.
Some of the women’s matches were played on Monday. South Africa’s Omar Fernandez used her experience to beat 15-year-old Ivy Rahedi 6-2, 6-4 to move to the second round.
Draw:
Women: Caroline Oduor (1) bye, Catherine Muraguri v Veronica Wangui, Megan Ndayire v Faith Mwangi, Sylvia Wangui v Joie Keter (7), Veronica Osogo (4) v Jehan Bratos, Mary Wachira v Damaris Nusera, F. Mbugua v Rosette Musoke (5), Shufaa Changawa v Mame Kane Diop, Toral Sedani v Njeri Onyango, Rose Wanjala v Sakina Nshirimana (3), Christine Lukalo (8) v Eunice Wambui, Wendy Chen v Shaila Ali, Veronica Njeri v Nadia Fernandez.
