Kenyan juniors storm Eastern Africa Championship finals

Kenya’s Albert Njogu returns a serve to Abdoulshakur Kabura of Burundi during the final of their boys’ singles 16 and under of the East African Junior Tennis Championships at Nairobi Club on January 16, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • The hosts will play in the finals of the Under-16 boys’ category as well as the Under-14 (boys and girls) final as the competition comes to a close.
  • In the Under 16 boys' category, home players Albert Njogu and Keean Shah led the hosts to a 3-0 win over Sudan to seal a final showdown against Seychelles.

Kenya’s junior tennis players on Thursday advanced to the finals of the Eastern Africa Junior Championship at the Nairobi Club.

The hosts will play in the finals of the Under-16 boys’ category as well as the Under-14 (boys and girls) final as the competition comes to a close.

In the Under 16 boys' category, home players Albert Njogu and Keean Shah led the hosts to a 3-0 win over Sudan to seal a final showdown against Seychelles.

Njogu, who was first up on court, beat Ahmed Rushdi 6-2, 6-3 in their singles match before Shah saw off Adam Hassan in the second singles match 6-3, 6-0.

The duo then combined to edge out the Sudanese pair 6-0, 6-3 in the doubles match to complete the rout.

Njogu is confident they can complete the job and called on home fans to turn out in large numbers.

"We are playing at home and therefore expect to do well. Seychelles has very talented players but we have faced them before and know what to expect," Njogu told Nation.co.ke.

Burundi clinched the Under-16 girls crown after they outclassed Kenya 3-0. Top seed Sada Nahimana was too strong for home player Sneha Kotecha, winning 6-0, 6-2 while Aisha Niyonkuru beat Kenya’s Esther Wahome 7-5, 7-5 in the second singles match.

The home players were too also fall in their doubles match, going down 6-4, 7-5 to finish in second spot in the category. Kenya bounced back to reach the Under-14 finals of both the girls’ and boys’ categories.

Home players Alicia Owegi and Angela Okutoyi were in fine form as they put to sword the Rwandese pair of Berize Irakoze and Djasumini Uwamesi in both the singles and doubles matches.

Okutoyi beat Irakoze 6-0, 6-0 in the first singles match before Owegi extended the winning streak as she dropped only two matches on her way to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Uwamesi. The Kenyans triumphed by the same score-line in the doubles category.

Derrick Ominde and Hooker Suhail were the last Kenyans in action and ensured the country closed the day on a winning note. Suhail beat Mohamed Antoissi of Comoros 7-6(4), 6-1 as Ominde thrashed Said Khalide 6-0, 6-1.